KABUL - The United Nations special representative for Afghanistan on Wednesday stressed for transparent parliamentarian elections and urged the government to further reform the electoral panels.

Nicholas Haysom, UN special representative for Afghanistan, told journalists in Kabul electoral reforms were part of the agreement among the unity government leaders.

“We and the people of Afghanistan want elections free of rigging and fraud,” he said, adding the UN was waiting for leaders to act upon their pledges.

The parliamentarian elections are due a year from now and the UN representative said his organization was keen to cooperate with the Afghan government in conducting free and fair ballot.

It has been five months since the unity government has been formed, but there has been no tangible progress in creating the reform commissions that agreed upon by the government leaders.

Earlier, President Ashraf Ghani directed his 2nd Vice-President to work in consultation with election bodies, civil society members and political parties to identify essential areas for reforms in electoral panels. (Pajhwok)