Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

IEC Has Crossed ‘Challenging Phase’: Abdullah

IEC Has Crossed ‘Challenging Phase’: Abdullah

KABUL - Chief Executive Officer (CEO) on Wednesday backed calls for holding Wolesi Jirga and district council elections on schedule, saying all organs involved should try to ensure the ballot was transparent, fair and timely.
Addressing a conference titled “Supporting women in political parties” here, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah said the Independent Election Commission (IEC) “has crossed the challenging phase.”
The CEO also admitted distrust, negligence and blame game in the process but said it would not help.
“It is important for us to cooperate each other to have transparent, fair and on time elections,” he said.
Pointing to the absence of a commissioner on the IEC, Abdullah hoped the new commissioner would be introduced in near future.
The CEO asked organs involved in election affairs to regularly struggle for a transparent, fair and timely elections.
A day earlier, IEC members during a press conference in Kabul accused the government of noncooperation and said the elections would be held on time if the government provided the required financial resources and ensured security for the commission.
Speaking at the conference, Abdullah regretted women were not fairly supported by political parties, something he called against expectations in the past 16 years.
Calling women’s role as important in the society, the CEO said that women could influence elections with their vote power.
He said political parties lacking women’s support had not been very successful.
While stressing the importance of women’s presence in politics, the CEO said: “The political environment has always restricted women’s activities, but I promise national programs which are underway will open ground for women.”
Acting IEC chief Wasima Badghisi called women’s support for election process as important and said women also needed support of others.
She said only two of seven commissioners on the IEC were women. “The commission is trying to employ women besides men to its 24 provincial posts”, she added. (Pajhwok)