By Azizullah Hamdard, on Apr 06, 2017 – 21:10
KABUL (Pajhwok): The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) office on Thursday said insecurity was a serious challenge in Afghanistan, but not as high as to prevent holding of elections.

CEO spokesman, Mujib Rahman Rahimi, told a press conference here that the national unity government was committed to conducting elections to the Wolesi Jirga and district councils.

“Insecurity is a serious challenge, but it is not at the level to stop us from holding elections,” he said.

He said the Independent Election Commission (IEC) had tasked two committees with maintaining security and arranging finances for the upcoming elections.

“If the IEC announces a date for the elections, the government is ready to support it”, he said.

Linking the delay in announcing the election schedule to electoral reform, he said the reform process was still ongoing.

Rahimi rejected differences between the unity government leaders over the electoral affairs and said the government never interfered in IEC’s affairs and only provided cooperation.

He called the use of technology in elections as important because it would help prevent fraud and violations.

A day earlier, CEO Abdullah Abdullah, Second Vice-President Sarwar Danish and election commissioners discussed preparations for holding the parliamentary polls.

Abdullah said the government had strong will to hold elections to the lower house of parliament and district councils this solar year.

https://www.pajhwok.com/en/2017/04/06/insecurity-won%E2%80%99t-prevent-parliamentary-polls-rahimi