Karzai's rival ready to contest election run-off

AFGHAN president Hamid Karzai's main rival yesterday agreed to compete in a run-off election, if major changes were introduced to avoid the "widespread, massive fraud" which saw more than a million votes excluded from the first round.

Former foreign minister Dr Abdullah Abdullah said he was "completely ready" for a second round, a day after Mr Karzai admitted that he had not won the outright majority needed to claim a first round win.

"We have certain suggestions, recommendations and conditions in order to avoid widespread, massive fraud in the upcoming elections," Dr Abdullah said.

Addressing the world's media in the garden of his Kabul home, the eye surgeon turned Jihadi commander looked distinctly at ease – in stark contrast to Mr Karzai's strained statement, less than 24 hours earlier.

While Mr Karzai was flanked by US senator John Kerry, the head of the UN mission and three foreign ambassadors who had persuaded him to accept the rulings of a fraud watchdog, Dr Abdullah had two influential Afghan elders at his side.

Mr Karzai wore his trademark robes to admit reluctantly that almost a third of his votes had been ruled invalid. World leaders hailed him as a statesman.

Dr Abdullah wore a plain navy suit. For a man who has sported silk cravats, safari suits and leather jackets on the campaign trail, he looked noticeably statesman like as well. Without going into details, Dr Abdullah insisted his suggestions were crucial, if the Afghan people were to, "see a step forward, rather than a step back," when the polls open on 7 November.

He avoided any direct criticisms yesterday, but Dr Abdullah has made no secret of his disdain for the Independent Election Commission (IEC), which ran the 20 August poll, and its chairman Aziz Ludin, appointed by the president.

Mr Ludin denied reports he was biased yesterday and challenged Dr Abdullah to provide proof of his wrongdoing. He admitted there had been "some fraud" and blamed it on poor security, rejecting suggestions that the IEC was complicit.

He said: "If there was any fraud, any offence, or any violations perpetrated by the IEC, the IEC will try its best to find the people who committed those crimes."

Mr Ludin confirmed Mr Karzai's share of the vote was 49.7 per cent and he announced for the first time that Mr Abdullah had scored 30.5 per cent in the final certified result.

The figures were different from those of the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission, which cut Mr Karzai's tally from 54.6 per cent to 48.3, while boosting Abdullah's from 27.8 per cent to 31.5.

Hours earlier UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon confirmed reports earlier this week that 200 mid-level IEC staff had been replaced for "corruption and incompetence," as part of efforts to ensure the second round is not as flawed as the first. He said the run-off would be a, "huge challenge to pull off without repeating the widespread fraud that marred the first round".

Around 7,000 polling stations could also be closed as part of initiatives, still under discussion, to crack down on fraud.

"Where massive rigging occurred, where there were no legitimate voters, they won't be given an opportunity to repeat the fraud. Those polling stations will be closed," said a senior western diplomat involved in the process.

"In he first round there were around 23,000 polling stations, in the second round there may as few as 16,000."

But the final decision will rest with the IEC. Diplomats fear it will reject the idea if it is seen to disenfranchise Mr Karzai's supporters. Most of the president's support came from Afghanistan's ethnic Pashtun belt, in the south and the east of the country along the border with Pakistan. Those areas are also where the fraud was worst and where the insurgency is strongest – making it almost impossible for election observers to visit.

"This is not going to be a perfect run-off," admitted Kai Eide, the UN chief in Kabul. "This is a country in conflict. We have to motivate to the voters come to the polling stations."

Disillusioned Afghans reluctant to risk lives to vote again

GUL Mohammad is one Kabul resident who will not be voting in the decisive run-off round of Afghanistan's disputed presidential election. "Why should I go and vote again? There will be explosions, suicide attacks. I don't want to die."

As officials scramble to prepare the run-off, many Afghans are sceptical about whether the journey to the ballot box will be worth the risk.

About 5.6 million votes were cast in the first round in August, but it is unlikely that figure reflected the numbers who actually voted.

The prospect of another election riddled with fraud amid rising insecurity has disillusioned many voters at a time when the Taleban-led insurgency is rising and thousands of foreign troops are struggling to gain the edge in the eight-year war.

In southern Afghanistan, along the Pashtun tribal belt where president Hamid Karzai gets much of his support, many stayed at home during the 20 August first round, intimidated by insurgent violence.

"I voted last time with great risk and fear, but I am not going to do that again," said Ghamai from Panjwai in Kandahar province.

In western Herat province, a mainly Tajik area, residents have mixed feelings about whether to cast ballots in a previously peaceful area now subject to rising violence.

"The run-off will definitely show legitimacy to the Afghan people and the rest of the world," said Fazel Ahmad, a tribal elder in Herat. "We have to vote again because it is more important than the first round."