KABUL - A good presidential election will benefit not only Afghanistan's future but also the future of the region, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) chief said Tuesday.

Fazal Ahmad Manawee spoke at a gathering organised by the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA) in Kabul saying that there are several people trying to provoke distrust among the people over the upcoming election, but the IEC is aware of its importance.

"The election which decides the fate of the country is important in our country as well as for the regional countries," Manawee said.

"We ask the government, the political opposition, and the international community to help bring trust and positive thinking about the election," he added.

The TEFA held the meeting to discuss advocacy for women to participate in the upcoming 2014 poll, under the title "Coordination of Advocacy Efforts to Increase Women Political Participation".

"We ask the Independent Election Commission to consider gender balance in all its procedures," TEFA chief Mohammad Naem Ayoubzada said.

More than a year remains until the presidential poll but there is already a strong focus on what is being done to ensure a transparent election. (Tolo News)