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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Rabbani opposes delay to Afghan parliament vote |
| 2004-07-19 |
| Former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani on Monday criticised the postponement of a parliamentary election until April, saying it was against the spirit of the constitution and nurtured public mistrust. Afghanistan had planned to hold presidential and parliamentary elections in June, but logistical problems, attacks by Taliban militants and the slow pace of disarming factional militias forced delays. The presidential election, which President Hamid Karzai is widely expected to contest and win, is to take place on October 9 with the parliamentary one scheduled for April. "This (the delay) will create an atmosphere of mistrust and further deepen it, and I think this will not work for the benefit of strengthening law or stability," the silver-bearded Rabbani, 66, told Reuters at his Kabul residence. Afghanistan's new constitution, adopted in January, called for every effort to be made to hold the two elections together. Rabbani said the decision to delay parliamentary polls until spring could harm Karzai's prospects in the October vote, with disgruntled parliamentary candidates likely to lobby against him. "Parliamentary candidates will try to discourage people from voting for the presidential candidate because of the postponement," Rabbani said. "So this will not benefit Karzai either," added the former Kabul University theology lecturer. Rabbani heads the Jamiat-e-Islami faction made up of leaders of the "mujahideen", or "holy warriors", who ousted the Soviets in the 1980s and then fought against the hardline Islamic Taliban regime after it took power in 1996. Many senior members command private militias who flout central authority in the north and west. Analysts say a nationwide drive to disarm them could weaken figures like Rabbani, who they suspect could resort to force to coerce voters. Karzai has said that factional forces are a greater risk to stability than Islamic militants like the Taliban, who oppose his government and the elections and have killed hundreds of people in a wave of attacks in the last year. Karzai's comments came two months after he had held talks with factional leaders including Rabbani during which mujahideen heavyweights said the president had agreed to share power in his government in return for their support for his candidacy. Rabbani said on Monday that the timing of parliamentary polls, which his Jamiat faction will contest, was tantamount to a reversal by Karzai of the agreement. He also argued that Taliban militants would have a greater opportunity to sabotage the elections if they were delayed. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 SUKKUR: Salim Mazari's house raided By Our Correspondent SUKKUR, July 16: Kashmor police raided the house of former provincial minister Saleem Jan Mazari and arrested four persons including Ghulam Mustufa Domki, Noor Khan Mazari, Rind Ali Leghari and Mir Ali Murad Domki. Cause of the raid and allegation on the arrested persons could not be known immediately. Meanwhile, one more person Wazir Ali Umrani, a close political ally of Saleem Jan Mazari, was also arrested. It is, however, learnt that these arrests were made in connection with recovery of six-year-old Naveen Kumar, who was kidnapped from Kashmor. According to police, the outlaws were being provided shelter by the influential landlords of the area and police were building pressure on these landlords for the release of all the hostages who were kidnapped by the dacoits during the last one and a half month. Brig. Tariq Sher, in charge monitoring cell, Larkana Division, directed DIG Larkana Fayyaz Leghari to ensure safe recovery of Naveen Kumar and asked him to arrest the landlords who were harbouring the dacoits irrespective of their influence and political affiliations. Due to the pressure of monitoring cell in Larkana Division eleven persons including six from Jacobabad were released by the dacoits. Those released included Mumtaz Ali, Bashir Ahmed, Anwar Ali and Soomar Mal who were kidnapped from Kashmor some one month ago, while Imran son of Mir Muhammad Mirani, Manzoor Ahmed son of Dildar Mirani, Shahnawaz son of Lal Bux Mirani, who were kidnapped from Ghauspur reached their homes safely. The police said that they have not paid any ransom and gave an assurance to the Army officials that Naveen Kumar would also be recovered soon. ------------------------------------------ 17 tribesmen arrested for casting bogus votes KUNDHKOT : Police detained 17 men belonging to Chatti and Mazari tribes for casting bogus votes, on the orders of Returning Officer for NA-210 on polling day. As per details, the returning officer for NA-210, exercising his powers as Magistrate, caught 17 persons red-handed, trying to cast bogus votes in favor of Saleem Jan Mazari at a polling station in Government high schools and send them jail for ten days. ----------------------------------------------------- |
| Posted by: Anonymous5863 2004-07-19 5:41:23 PM |