Findings show that in a number of provinces, the voter turnout in insecure districts where the Taliban insurgent group has a presence, is more than secure districts.

Taliban repeatedly threatened to target polling centers and cautioned people not to participate in the Afghan presidential election that took place on September 28.

However, figures provided by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) of Afghanistan reveal that more votes have been cast in insecure districts of Logar, Paktia, Paktika, and Khost provinces.

For example, more than 7,000 votes have been used in the volatile district of Charkh in eastern Logar province. However, the IEC system shows zero vote in Khoshi district of the province which is a secure district. On the other hand, about 6,540 votes have been used in the restive Mohammad Agha district.

According to figures released in the official website of the IEC, 3,713 voters have cast their votes in Argon district which is fully under the control of government while 1,876 voters have cast their votes in the volatile Wormmi district of Paktika province.

In addition, nearly 14,000 voters have cast their votes in volatile Musa Khail district of Khost province while around 7,000 voters have cast their votes in Saberi district which is a secure area.

In Paktia, 418 voters have cast their votes in Shawak district which is secure while 24,319 voters have cast their votes in the volatile Zurmat district of the province.

“Two-thirds vote of the governmental team is fake, fraudulent and imaginary and Paktia is an example,” presidential candidate Gulbuddin Hekmatyar told reporters on Wednesday.

Election watchdogs and some members of the Afghan parliament have express their concern regarding these figures.

On Wednesday, lawmaker Abdul Qayoum Sajadi who was speaking at the general session of parliament said that “electoral commission must assure the people and the candidates that they are performing their duties with responsibility”.

The election commission has repeatedly emphasized to invalidate non-biometric votes and to ensure transparency by using technical measures.