Muslimyar says election result delay ‘shameful’

KABUL direly needed peace and termed the postponement of the presidential election results as ‘shameful’.
Zalmay Zabuli, a lawmaker from southern Zabul province, criticized the government for not consultation the Senate over the peace process and said the Meshrano Jirga should appoint a commission for coordination between the government and the nation on peace till lasting peace was achieved in the country.
Abdullah Qarliq, another lawmaker from northern Kunduz province, called peace as citizens’ need, saying as peace negotiations had resumed but demands of Afghans were yet to be discussed in this regard.
He said the US efforts evolved around ceasefire while the demands of Afghanistan people were not only a ceasefire but reduction of violence, and end to the conflict and intra-Afghan dialogue.
Senator Gulali Akbari from northeastern Badakhshan province, in current situation, peace was the entire nations’ first priority.
She said, “Until the Afghan government is involved in the peace talks, such efforts may not bear fruit.”
She further said until a legal government was established through people’s vote, peace would continue to elude the nation.
She suggested the IEC should first declare the long delayed presidential election result, and then peace talks would give results.
Rahim Hussainyar, another lawmaker from southern Ghazni province, said people of Afghanistan were deeply concerned about the election result.
He urged presidential candidates to stay patient and let the IEC announce the initial results.
Senate chairman Fazal Hadi Muslimyar said: “Real peace is possible when Afghan brothers sit at a single table and discuss peace.”
He termed postponement of the presidential election results as shameful and called on the IEC to announce the initial result as people were running out of patience in this regard.
Muslimyar urged presidential candidates, political figures and tribal elders to support transparent and justifiable results from the IEC.
However, earlier today the IEC said the initial results of the presidential election from 27 provinces were likely to be announced within next two days after a revision.
The presidential election was held on September 28. Earlier the IEC had given October 19 the date for announcement of preliminary result while November 7 for announcement of final result of the presidential election.
But due to some technical issues and problems during separation of clean and fraudulent votes, the IEC could not announce the result on its due date.
On October 27, the IEC said primary result of the presidential election would be announced on November 14, but the commission again delayed it for an indefinite time.
The IEC audited and recounted votes of a number of polling stations belonging to 27 out of total 34 provinces of the country. However, a number of presidential tickets including Stability and Partnership led by Dr. Abdullah Abdullah boycotted the process.
Zabihullah Sadat, IEC spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News that latest information of the 27 provinces had been shared with the IEC secretariat but the IEC leadership had reservations over two points.
He said, “If the secretariat solves the two points today, the IEC will declare the preliminary result by tomorrow and if they solve it by tomorrow, then the initial result will be announced within 12 hours after tomorrow.”
pk/ma

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