Afghanistan: Voting for historic Presidential elections
Despite threats from militants, the historic voting for presidential elections -- the second in Afghanistan's history -is underway without any serious disruption. Voters gathered to an establish government which can bring peace and security.
THE HISTORIC voting for presidential elections -- the second in Afghanistan's history –is underway without any serious disruption. The polling began at 7 am (local time) in several provinces. Simultaneously, millions of registered voters are electing 34 provincial councils.
In the Taliban heartland of Helmand, voters gathered at a government high school in Lashkargah, the provincial capital without any fear. They say they want an established government, which can bring peace and security in the country.
Also in the southern Kandahar province where the Taliban insurgents had warned to disrupt the election security and cut off the finger with the indelible ink, which is marked for avoiding multiple voting, the polling process was going smoothly. The people, men and women were seen in queue to exercise their franchise.
Despite threats from militants, polling also began in the restive province of Ghazni. Governor Dr Osman Osmani cast his vote at a polling station opposite the office of Ghazni City municipality
In eastern Nangarhar, Kunar and southeastern Khost, Paktia and Paktika provinces voters were seen in large queue casting their votes without any fear.
Polling began in northern Samangan, Kunduz and Badakhshan provinces at 7am without any problem. The first vote was used by an old man in Aibak, capital of Samangan.
Dozens of people were standing in queues ahead of schedule saying they had been waiting impatiently for using their votes.
The voting exercise will end at 4pm, according to the schedule announced by Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC). Before polling got under way, there was an eerie calm on empty Kabul streets.
However, the city came alive once the poll time approached. Seventeen million registered Afghans, up from 12.5 million in the 2004 election, are exercising their franchise at 7000 polling centres and 29000 voting stations across the country. Of the 4.6 million new registered voters, 39 per cent are women.
Up for grabs are 420 provincial council seats eyed by 3300 hopefuls. An amount of $223 million has been earmarked for the elections being monitored by 21 domestic observer groups, 30 international organisations and 200 media outlets.
More than 300,000 Afghan and foreign forces have been deployed to maintain security across the country amid threats from Taliban insurgents to disrupt the elections critical to Afghanistan's future.
Also in the southern Kandahar province where the Taliban insurgents had warned to disrupt the election security and cut off the finger with the indelible ink, which is marked for avoiding multiple voting, the polling process was going smoothly. The people, men and women were seen in queue to exercise their franchise.
Despite threats from militants, polling also began in the restive province of Ghazni. Governor Dr Osman Osmani cast his vote at a polling station opposite the office of Ghazni City municipality
In eastern Nangarhar, Kunar and southeastern Khost, Paktia and Paktika provinces voters were seen in large queue casting their votes without any fear.
Polling began in northern Samangan, Kunduz and Badakhshan provinces at 7am without any problem. The first vote was used by an old man in Aibak, capital of Samangan.
Dozens of people were standing in queues ahead of schedule saying they had been waiting impatiently for using their votes.
The voting exercise will end at 4pm, according to the schedule announced by Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC). Before polling got under way, there was an eerie calm on empty Kabul streets.
However, the city came alive once the poll time approached. Seventeen million registered Afghans, up from 12.5 million in the 2004 election, are exercising their franchise at 7000 polling centres and 29000 voting stations across the country. Of the 4.6 million new registered voters, 39 per cent are women.
Up for grabs are 420 provincial council seats eyed by 3300 hopefuls. An amount of $223 million has been earmarked for the elections being monitored by 21 domestic observer groups, 30 international organisations and 200 media outlets.
More than 300,000 Afghan and foreign forces have been deployed to maintain security across the country amid threats from Taliban insurgents to disrupt the elections critical to Afghanistan's future.
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