Ahadi Not Sure of Having Transparent Election This Year

The chairman of Afghanistan New National Front (NNF) party, Anwarulhaq Ahadi has questioned the transparency of the upcoming elections, saying he does not believe that transparent elections will be held this year.

Ahadi declared that the Independent Election Commission (IEC) still does not have the political parties’ trust.

“The government is not able to hold the elections if it has two years more. There is no alternative for not holding the elections,” Ahadi said.

In the meantime, the IEC is trying to rebuild trust for encouraging people to participate in the elections.

“Our efforts are serious. With the successful completion of the voters’ registration process, we take the first step of transparency. The registration process guarantees the upcoming elections,” Hafizullah Hashemi, IEC commissioner said.

The last time Afghanistan held national elections, in 2014, the result was a disaster. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry finally intervened, forcing the two main contenders to form a temporary government that has been wracked by internal divisions ever since.

The Parliamentary and district elections were scheduled to be held in Afghanistan on 15 October 2016, to elect members of the House of the People, but were postponed to 7 July 2018 and then again to 20 October 2018.