AFGHAN POLL DRAWS LOWEST TURNOUT SINCE US INVADED

KABUL: Afghanistan’s presidential election on Saturday drew the lowest turnout since the nation first held a democratic vote in 2004, with an independent watchdog blaming Taliban violence and concerns about fraud for demoralizing voters.

The poll is largely seen as a race between incumbent President Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, who has uneasily shared power as the government’s chief executive. Ghani praised Afghan forces and the election commission for holding a “successful” vote.

While votes continue to be counted, Mohammad Rafi Rafiq Sediqqi, a spokesman for the country’s independent election commission, said by phone that predictions show between 2 million and 2.5 million people voted -a maximum of less than 30% of the 9.6 million registered electors. That prediction is more than the range estimated by election watchdog Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan, or FEFA, which says that between 1.5 mn and 2 mn people voted.

“Lack of faith in a legitimate election, possible fraud and irregularities on voting day, Taliban threats and a lack of election awareness in rural areas make up the top reasons for the lower turnout,” said FEFA spokeswoman Sameera Rasa. The low number of voters could “undermine or question the legitimacy of the political process,” she said.

Turnout was partly higher in previous elections because the Taliban controlled less territory. The fundamentalist military group controls or contests half the country, the most since its ouster from power in 2001.

On voting day, Afghan forces were able to repel 68 attacks from the Taliban alone.