Smooth voting despite road closures in some parts

KABUL (Pajhwok): Road closures in some provinces of the country on the presidential Election Day, Saturday did not create problems for the poll.

The presidential election was held across the country, with security incidents taking place in some areas.

On the other hand, the Taliban said they blocked highways and small routes against traffic in a number of provinces.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted early in the today that roads in all districts of Paktika province had been blocked against traffic.

He said roads to districts and the provincial capital in Kunar province were also closed.

The Kabul-Kandahar, Kabul-Bamyan highway and roads of all districts of central Maidan Wardak province were also shut today, he added.

However, Paktika police spokesman Shah Mahmod Aryan told Pajhwok Afghan News that most of the roads of the province were open today.

The Taliban closed the road of Baran village only in Gumal district and they did not allow people to cast their votes, he said.

He said roads of Warmami, Wazakhwa, Tirwa, Naki and Zirok districts of Paktika were closed from the past.

Kunar governor Abdul Sattar Mirzakwal said that all roads of the province were open for traffic today, except some problems in Ghaziabad district.

On the other hand, Kunduz police chief Brig. Gen. Abdul Rashid said that the Kunduz-Baghlan and the Kunduz-Takhar highways were shut for traffic since Friday and there were also some sporadic clashes in the areas.

He said roads of a number of districts of the province were also closed but electoral materials reached days before and there were no problem during the voting process.

Officials in Samangan province said roads of Dara-i-Suf Payen and Dara-i-Suf Bala districts remained shut against traffic today.

Local residents and officials in Faryab province said that roads of some districts were closed but it did not create any problems for voting.

Officials in Jawzjan said roads of a number of districts in the province were partially blocked due to clashes today.

Officials in Ghor province said the highway leading to Kabul and Herat provinces and some districts were closed today.

Zahir Ahmadi, spokesman for the governor of Kandahar province, said that all roads to districts and the provincial capital were open for traffic.

Brig. Gen. Abdul Raqib Mubariz, police chief for Nangarhar province, said that roads to all districts of the province were open and there were no problems during the election.

mds/ma