Head of Independent Election Commission (IEC) Yousuf Nuristani’s aide Zia-ul-Haq Amarkhail was accused of misusing his authorities for favoring a particular presidential candidate by Haji Muhammad Muhaqi, Abdullah Abdullah’s second VP weeks after the first round elections in Afghanistan. Nonetheless, Amarkhail rejected the allegations and demanded evidence.
Amarkhail’s alleged involvement in rigging elections did not gain much media and public attention until he was caught red-handed by capital police while he was trying to secretly transfer boxes filled with ballot papers to Sorobi district of Kabul on the election run-off day – 14 June. Although Amarkhail’s such move was suspicious and Abdullah’s campaign demanded his suspension, he continued to enjoy support from IEC authorities including Nuristani.
The story took a U-turn, when on Sunday Abdullah’s campaign made two audio tapes of Amarkhail’s telephonic conversations public. In one of the tapes, Amarkhail instructs a man to take sheep into the mountain and bring them back stuffed. The code word sheep has been used for ballot boxes and stuffing for filling them with illegal votes.
Eventually on Monday Amarkhail announced his resignation through a press conference in Kabul. Although he said he was not making the decision under any pressure, seemingly the IEC is trying save its trust and dignity in this way. Meanwhile, at another press conference held on the same day Dr. Abdullah said, “Those involved in electoral fraud must be brought to justice.”
Amarkhail’s resignation somehow proves his involvement in rigging election. Therefore, only resignation is not enough; he must be prosecuted. If his crime is proved, it will be a great blow to the credibility of election commission whose authorities have been blowing the trumpet of fairness and transparency. Involvement of a high-ranking IEC official easily establishes the fact that massive fraud in favor of a specific candidate has taken place in the election run-off. Now it seems very difficult if not impossible for the IEC to identify fake votes from the valid ones.
The IEC secretariat that operated under Amarkhail until yesterday has the task of executing plans and policies of the commission. Weeks before run-off election the IEC through its secretariat recruited 5,000 employees. It is now doubted that the new employees were close either to Amarkahil or to the campaign of his favorite candidate.
One can easily imagine the immensity of electoral frauds if managed by a high-ranking IEC official through 5,000 people. The case of Amarkhail must be immediately referred to judicial bodies. If proved guilty, he must be prosecuted and sentenced to imprisonment for fraud. The IEC must also come up with a satisfactory strategy and measures to rebuild its credibility.