Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN) Special Election Day Coverage Newsletter, June 14 Afghan take another step toward peace: Karzai By Abaseen Zaheer Jun 14, 2014 - 08:41 Ballot for presidential election formally begins KABUL (Pajhwok): President Hamid Karzai and his 2nd By Pajhwok Report Jun 14, 2014 - 07:16 Vice President Mohammad Karim Khalili on Saturday exercised their voting right in the landmark presidential KABUL (Pajhwok): Chairman of the Independent Election election, asking people to vote for a candidate of their Commission (IEC) has exercised his vote right as ballot choice. The voting process formally started at 7:00am. process formally started at 7:00 am on Saturday “Today, Afghans are taking yet another step toward peace, throughout the country. progress and stability,” Karzai told reporters after casting Mohammad Yusuf Nuristani casts his ballot, which his vote. formally kicked off the democratic process. Long queues Ineligible to run for a third term, he urged people to cast of voters are seen waiting for their turn in the capital votes in large number to put the country on the road to Kabul. development and self-reliance. According to IEC, around 12 million eligible voters would People’s participation in the democratic exercise could exercise their right to vote in 6,365 polling stations. At pave the ground for prosperity of the next generation, he least 400,000 security personnel had been deployed to added. ensure stringent security measures for the ballot. Khalili also exercised his right at the Habibia High School. For the last several elections, 21 million people in the After casting his vote, he asked the masses to take part in country obtained their voter cards, with four million of the election for the sake of peace and stability in the them obtained voter cards in this election. country. http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2014/06/14/ballot-presidential- Chairman of the Independent Election Commission (IEC) election-formally-begins formally opened the voting process by casting his ballot. Frontrunners Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ghor residents wait in long queues Ahmadzai are contesting the runoff ballot. By Mohammad Hassan Hakimi Jun 14, 2014 - 07:44 http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2014/06/14/afghan-take-another- FIROZKOH (Pajhwok): Hundreds of voters, including step-toward-peace-karzai women, queued up in front of polling stations in western 16 Nangarhar, Logar polling centres remain closed Ghor province two hours before the voting process got By Mahbob Shah Mahbob Jun 14, 2014 - 08:51 under way.Two hundred voters lined up in front of a polling station at the Allauddin High School at 05:00am to JALALABAD/PUL-I-ALAM (Pajhwok): The Independent cast their votes. Abdul Rahman, 30, arrived at the site two Election Commission (IEC) in eastern Nangarhar and hours earlier. Nasrin, 25, said she had reached the site to central Logar provinces said on Saturday around ten and convey a message to everyone that she was here to cast the six polling stations were closed due to security vote. She hoped the next government would take steps to concerns.During the runoff ballot, a total of 393 polling prevent violence against women. stations were scheduled to be opened. http://www.pajhwok.com Page 1 http://www.elections.pajhwok.com/www.vote.af Pajhwok Afghan News Election Coverage Newsletter However, IEC Director Khwaja Aminullah Fazli said that Nuristani exercised his voting right as the process formally 383 centres had been opened. got under way at 7:00am. Speaking to reporters, he asked Security forces pledged to strive to keep the ten polling the people to participate in the democratic exercise and centres opened on the Election Day, which were located demonstrate the level of enthusiasm they did in the first in Hisarak, Sherzad, Pacheragam and Chaparhar districts. round. Brig. Gen. Fazl Ahmad Sherzad, provincial police chief, “My message to all eligible voters is: cast your votes and confirmed closure of ten centers but said that efforts were challenge the enemies of Afghanistan this way,” he said, on to open the centers. praising the security forces for the tight measures In Logar,IEC Director Dr. Niamatullah Wardak said six throughout the country. polling centres had to be shut down because security He said a total of 6,365 polling centres, with 23,000 polling could not be ensured to these centres. As many as 77 stations were opened today in the country and the IEC had polling centres were due to be opened but three of them transferred enough ballot papers to facilitate all eligible in Kharwar, Charkh and Azara districts had to be closed. voters. Brig. Gen. Abdul Halim Ishaqzai, provincial police chief, Keeping in view the experience of the April 5 ballot, this confirmed closure of the polling centres in three districts. time the process would be more transparent. If any IEC official or staff found involved in election affairs in favour of any candidate then tough action would be taken against him, he warned. On alleged reports of ballot stuffing in Paktika, he said: “We have heard about ballot stuffing in Paktika province. We are confirming the ground reports.” Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and Dr. Ashraf Ghani were the leading candidates contested in the second round of elections. The final result of the election is set to be announced on July 22. http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2014/06/14/nuristani-urges-people- vote-defy-threats Jawzjan, Faryab residents vote amid storms By Muhammad Jan Tamkeen Jun 14, 2014 - 09:57 Kunar security for polling sites satisfactory By Khan Wali Salarzai Jun 14, 2014 - 09:02 JAWZJAN/MAIMANA (Pajhwok): Amid heavy dust and ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Governor Shuja-ul-Mulk Jalala windstorms, greater enthusiasm was seen among voters said on Saturday that the voting process was underway queuing up in northern Jawzjan and Faryab provinces on smoothly in eastern Kunar province without any security Saturday. The process kicked off at 7:00 am throughout the concern. country. Even before the start of the voting, people were He told Pajhwok Afghan News a rocket was fired into seen standing in long queues outside polling stations to cast Asadabad City, the provincial capital, early in the ballot. Tens of men and women in Jawzjan and Faryab morning as the voting process kicked off but the attack provinces were casting their vote. caused no loss. Abdul Wahab 23, a voter, told Pajhwok Afghan News: He said there were satisfactory reports regarding security “Despite heavy windstorm, I came to exercise my vote situation in the districts and no untoward incident took right.” People dared security threats and voted, saying that place as of yet. they would vote by defying all challenges. http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2014/06/14/kunar-security- Heavy wind collapsed many billboards and signboards in polling-sites-satisfactory Jawzjan province, but people were participating with zeal in the process by queuing up outside the polling stations. Nuristani urges people to vote, defy threats Sultan Aziz, another voter said: “People now understand By Muhammad Hassan Khitab Jun 14, 2014 - 09:40 the importance of vote that’s why I am here to cast my ballot.” KABUL (Pajhwok): Ahmad Yusuf Nuristani, the Separately, in Kunduz and Daikundi provinces, the polling Independent Election Commission (IEC) chairman, on stations were opened on time with a slow voting process in Saturday asked all eligible voters to stream to polling the beginning. But gradually long lines of voters were seen stations and cast ballots, defying threats of violence. waiting for their turn in front of polling centres. http://www.pajhwok.com Page 2 http://www.elections.pajhwok.com Pajhwok Afghan News Election Coverage Newsletter 6 injured in Faryab, Baghlan explosions Hafizullah, a resident of Lashkargah, the provincial capital, Habibur Rahman Sherzai Jun 14, 2014 - 10:31 said after casting his vote: “It is a matter of pleasure for me that voting is ongoing in a peaceful environment.” MAIMANA/PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): Six people, Lutfullah Garmser, the director of the National Directorate including two policemen, were wounded in two separate of Security (NDS), said Afghan forces were working in explosions in northern Faryab and Baghlan provinces on coordination to thwart any untoward incident. Saturday, officials said. http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2014/06/14/helmand- Four people wounded in a bomb blast at a polling station governor-expects-higher-turnout in Maimana, the provincial capital of Faryab while two police officials suffered injuries when they were on their way to a polling station in Pul-i-khumri, provincial capital of northern Baghlan province. Col. Mohammad Naeem Andarabi, provincial security chief in Faryab, told Pajhwok Afghan News a remote-controlled bomb exploded at 8:30am some 20 metres away from a polling centre, leaving a crime branch police and three voters wounded. But Tughrel Baig, a voter, said three policemen and a voter wounded in the explosion. However, the blast did not cause delay in voting process with the voters chanting: “Explosions and suicide attacks by enemies won’t stop us to vote.” Separately, a police patrol party struck a roadside bomb in Baghlan, which left three policemen wounded. http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2014/06/14/6-injured-faryab- baghlan-explosions Abdullah wants IEC to foil rigging bids By Hassan Khitab Jun 14, 2014 - 11:01 KABUL (PAJHWOK): Presidential hopeful Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Saturday cast his vote along with his team, urging the people to come out and exercise their franchise for a bright tomorrow. Abdullah’s deputies Eng. Mohammad Khan and Haji Mohammad Mohaqiq cast their votes at the Estiqlal High School in Kabul. The frontrunner asked the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to thwart rigging attempts.