Taliban say situation not conducive for elections

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Taliban said on Saturday that the situation in Afghanistan unlike other countries was not conducive for elections.

Dr Mohammad Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban's political office in Qatar, said in a video interview that Afghanistan had held elections several times in the past years, but each time the ballot was full of controversy.

He said, foreigners had interfered in every election and in the last election both men declared themselves the winners.

He added less than a million eligible voters out of a population of 35 million had cast their ballots without any legitimacy.

"People do not want, do not participate in or support such elections, because in such elections, personal, organizational and regional interests are at stake and these elections will not solve the problems of the people," he said.

The Taliban spokesman said there were problems in the US elections until people attacked the Congress.

According to him, elections are not held in many countries at all. "We have to look at the ground realities of our country. Afghanistan is different from other countries. There have been wars and there are still wars going on. We say let's talk to the Afghan side first," he said.

According to Dr. Naeem, there must be will and sincerity for the election, not someone who presents a blueprint for the survival of their power and looks after their own interests.

It is noteworthy that President Ashraf Ghani has repeatedly said that he is ready to step down if early elections are held.

He had said the election should be conducted by the United Nations and other international organizations.

bk/ma