.Former Afghan FM registers for presidential poll
KABUL (AFP) — Former Afghan foreign minister and prominent Soviet-era resistance hero Abdullah Abdullah registered Wednesday to challenge incumbent Hamid Karzai in the country's presidential election.
Abdullah, in his late 40s, is Karzai's strongest rival among 14 candidates -- including two women -- who have so far signed up to compete in Afghanistan's second presidential election, scheduled for August 20.
Abdullah, dropped from Karzai's cabinet in 2006, registered with well-known surgeon Chiragh Ali Chiragh and Homayun Shah Asifi, a member of the royal family, as his vice president running mates.
He vowed to work to change Afghanistan's political system, if elected, to introduce a prime minister.
Abdullah said Karzai's government had not been able to offer a vision for the troubled country.
"The continuation of the current administration and officials is like walking in the dark," he told reporters at the Independent Election Commission.
The suave politician criticised the government for failing to provide security in Afghanistan, where a deadly Taliban-led insurgency has steadily worsened since the 2001 US-led invasion ousted the extremists from power.
"The people of Afghanistan hoped the past seven years of living in a better Afghanistan than what it is today," he said. "People have serious concerns about security, concerns in all walks of life."
Karzai formally registered Monday for the election on a ticket with deeply controversial warlord Mohammad Qasim Fahim, a key figure from the 1990s civil war, and current Vice President Karim Khalili.
Ex-finance ministers Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Anwar-Ul Haq Ahadi, and former interior minister Ali Ahmad Jalali have also vowed to stand but have yet to sign up ahead of the May 8 deadline for registration.
Other registered candidates include two women: member of parliament Shahla Ata and Frozan Fana, widow of the late Afghan aviation minister Abdul Rahman killed in 2002, election officials said.
Former attorney general Abdul Jabar Sabet, fired in July last year after he announced he would stand against Karzai, has registered, as has businessman Sayed Jalal, described on his website at the "Afghan Obama".
Former Taliban commander Salam Rocketi, apparently so named for his skill at using rocket-propelled grenade launchers, tried to register Wednesday but was told to return with extra documents.
The election commission will have a week to vet the candidates with convictions for crime and rights abuses among the grounds for exclusion.
The vote will be the second-ever presidential election in Afghanistan's turbulent history of coups and war.
It is seen as an important test of internationally funded efforts to install democracy and steer the fragile nation away from the lawlessness and fundamentalism that gave shelter to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
Countries in a NATO-led military force assisting the growing Afghan forces have pledged thousands of extra troops to protect the polls against attacks from Taliban insurgents, who have called Afghans to boycott.
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I'd vote for him.
Abdullah, in his late 40s, is Karzai's strongest rival among 14 candidates -- including two women -- who have so far signed up to compete in Afghanistan's second presidential election, scheduled for August 20.
Abdullah, dropped from Karzai's cabinet in 2006, registered with well-known surgeon Chiragh Ali Chiragh and Homayun Shah Asifi, a member of the royal family, as his vice president running mates.
He vowed to work to change Afghanistan's political system, if elected, to introduce a prime minister.
Abdullah said Karzai's government had not been able to offer a vision for the troubled country.
"The continuation of the current administration and officials is like walking in the dark," he told reporters at the Independent Election Commission.
The suave politician criticised the government for failing to provide security in Afghanistan, where a deadly Taliban-led insurgency has steadily worsened since the 2001 US-led invasion ousted the extremists from power.
"The people of Afghanistan hoped the past seven years of living in a better Afghanistan than what it is today," he said. "People have serious concerns about security, concerns in all walks of life."
Karzai formally registered Monday for the election on a ticket with deeply controversial warlord Mohammad Qasim Fahim, a key figure from the 1990s civil war, and current Vice President Karim Khalili.
Ex-finance ministers Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Anwar-Ul Haq Ahadi, and former interior minister Ali Ahmad Jalali have also vowed to stand but have yet to sign up ahead of the May 8 deadline for registration.
Other registered candidates include two women: member of parliament Shahla Ata and Frozan Fana, widow of the late Afghan aviation minister Abdul Rahman killed in 2002, election officials said.
Former attorney general Abdul Jabar Sabet, fired in July last year after he announced he would stand against Karzai, has registered, as has businessman Sayed Jalal, described on his website at the "Afghan Obama".
Former Taliban commander Salam Rocketi, apparently so named for his skill at using rocket-propelled grenade launchers, tried to register Wednesday but was told to return with extra documents.
The election commission will have a week to vet the candidates with convictions for crime and rights abuses among the grounds for exclusion.
The vote will be the second-ever presidential election in Afghanistan's turbulent history of coups and war.
It is seen as an important test of internationally funded efforts to install democracy and steer the fragile nation away from the lawlessness and fundamentalism that gave shelter to the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
Countries in a NATO-led military force assisting the growing Afghan forces have pledged thousands of extra troops to protect the polls against attacks from Taliban insurgents, who have called Afghans to boycott.
I'd vote for him.
posted by madtom at 8:55 PM
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