<p>JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Eighteen out of the total 51 voter registration centers in eastern Laghman province remain closed due to insecurity, an official said on Saturday.</p>
<p>While, provincial council (PC) members say if these voter registration centers are not opened, local residents would be deprived of voting in the Oct 20 elections.</p>
<p>However, local officials say clearing operations have been planned and would be launched soon to open the closed voter registration centers.</p>
<p>Dr. Noor Ahmad Noor, head of the provincial Independent Election Commission (<a href="/en/iec" class="glossify-link">IEC</a>, had so far registered as voters in Laghman.</p>
<p>Referring to the small number of women registering as voters, he said most of the women in Laghman lacked paper Identity Cards (IDs), thus their participation in the process had been low.</p>
<p>He said without Qarghayio district, 18 registration centers in Alingar, Alishang, Badpakh and Dawlat Shah districts remained, crippling the voter registration process.</p>
<p>PC head Rafiullah Mamozai said the closed voter registration centers were located in areas where militants enjoyed a stronghold.</p>
<p>“The residents of these areas could not go to registration centers and if a clearing operation is not conducted, people of these areas would not be able to vote in the upcoming elections”, he said.</p>
<p>Governor spokesman Sarhadi Zwak saod a joint military operation had been planned to clear these areas.</p>
<p>He said past military operations in Alishang and Alingar valleys proved helpful and provided the opportunity to open registration centres.</p>
<p>nh/ma</p>
