Afghan newspapers call for commission to look into electoral complaints

Afghanistan's local newspapers in their editorials on Tuesday called for an electoral commission to look into complaints filed against the April 5 presidential elections.

Preliminary results were announced on Saturday wherein Dr. Abdullah stood in lead, securing 44.9 percent of the votes, followed by Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, who obtained 31.5 percent and 11.5 percent of the votes respectively.

The second round of elections is expected to be held between Dr. Abdullah and Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai two weeks after final results are announced. Final results would be announced on May 14, according to election officials.

Nearly 7 million Afghans of some 12 million eligible voters cast their ballots in the April 5 presidential elections amid Taliban threat of violence and tight security.

"There is much at stake for the country if the Elections Complaints Commission (ECC) fails to look into the complaints registered and decide based on any criteria rather than the mandate of the citizens," one English newspaper, The Afghanistan Express, writes in its editorial.

"If the electoral commissions find the allegations of concerted frauds and irregularities legitimate, it should act neutrally and save democracy and future of Afghanistan by protecting legitimacy of the elections," the paper argued.

Another English newspaper, The Daily Outlook, in its Tuesday's editorial praised the vast participation of Afghans on April 5 elections but added, "The way the IEC (Independent Election Commission) has been dealing with post-election issues has created waves of disappointment among the masses. Its autonomy is now under serious doubts."

"Nowadays all the eyes are looking towards the Election Complaints Commission (ECC) and it is now for the body to act independently and examine all the complaints registered with, in the presence of media outlets and representatives of the presidential candidates," another newspaper, Hasht-e-Subh, writes in its editorial.

"Impartial judgment by ECC would get the country out of crisis and pave the way for the first ever peaceful transfer of power in Afghanistan; otherwise, the crisis would enter its dangerous stage, " the paper warned.