Civil society blasts govt’s plan for Ghazni polls

KABUL polls in southern Ghazni province, saying it was prepared without consultation with them.

The committee, featuring 17 civil society groups working in the area of election reforms and monitoring, was established in 2016.

The Committee Head Mubinullah Aimaq told reporters here that the Independent Election Commission (IEC) had dispatched a strategy regarding the conduct of Wolesi Jirga elections in Ghazni province at a time when the monitoring committee was not aware of it.

Wolesi Jirga elections in Ghazni province were delayed due to security issues and differences among residents of the province for indefinite time.

Khalil Roufi, a member of the coordination committee, said developing a strategy without the consent of Ghazni people was against democracy, adding that the views of media outlets and international observers had not been sought.

IEC Secretary Habiburrhman Nang said the strategy had been submitted to the Administrative Affairs of the Presidential Palace and the commission in the strategy had expressed its operational and technical preparedness for the Wolesi Jirga election in Ghazni province.

He said if the government provided budgetary and security support, the IEC was ready to conduct the parliamentary vote in Ghazni next year in April.

Nang said the strategy submitted to the government was regarding technical, budgetary and security support and whenever the government resolved these issues, the IEC would share information regarding Ghazni polls with election watchdogs and civil society.

Nh/ma