Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Growing Insecurity Hampers Voter Registration in Ghazni

Growing Insecurity Hampers  Voter Registration in Ghazni

GHAZNI CITY - Provincial council members and residents of southern Ghazni province say they may not participate in the forthcoming parliamentary and district council elections if they are not provided security.
Holding a protest gathering in Ghazni City, the provincial capital, a number of residents and their representatives said the security situation in Ghazni province was deteriorating with each passing day.
A member of the provincial council, Abdul Jami Jami, told the gathering that innocent people were daily killed in Ghazni City in broad daylight and people would not be able to vote in the elections if the situation remained the same.
He said the voter’s registration campaign had been lukewarm in Ghazni due to insecurity,
His colleague Hassan Raza Yousafi blamed the increasing level of violence in Ghazni on the lack of coordination among provincial officials. He said the people of Ghazni would take to the streets if the government did not take measures to ensure their security.
The two public representatives demanded a shakeup in the provincial administration.
Tribal elder Haji Naik Mohammad told the gathering that voter registration centers could not be established as yet in districts due to security problems. “The situation persists, the elections will be held in a few areas and it will allow the powerful individuals to stuff ballot boxes.”
Similarly, a resident of Qarah Bagh district, Rahmatullah, said the government should set up voter registration centers in secure areas of the district. “If there is no security, we may not take part in the elections,” he said, but did not elaborate.
The governor’s spokesman, Arifullah Noori, acknowledged terrorist attacks had increased in Ghazni City, but argued in overall the situation had improved as compared to the past. (Pajhwok)