In a press conference on Saturday, officials of ministries of interior and defense said they have arranged to provide security to almost 94% of polling stations across the country. There have been serious concerns pertaining to security of April 5th presidential and provincial council elections. However, the confidence expressed by the officials is welcoming and will help in lessening security concerns among the voters.

Some circles have been calling upon the government to delay the elections until security condition becomes feasible. However, the recent announcement of MoI and MoD indicates their trust that Afghanistan National Security (ANSF) does have the capability to control the situation before and on the Election Day up to the extent possible.

Last year security responsibilities of all Afghanistan were transitioned from International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to ANSF. That is deemed a major development in history of Afghanistan. Afghan security forces are responsible for making security arrangements for the upcoming elections. It is hoped they will triumph to counter heinous intentions of insurgent groups including the Taliban.

Afghanistan is a terror-hit country and it would be naïve to expect that the spring polls will take place without any security incidents. Indeed the insurgents will not lose any opportunity to threat the voters and candidates and will also try to disrupt the election process by launching attacks anywhere in the country. After all, their task is to stop Afghanistan from moving towards peace and stability. Nonetheless, public awareness regarding election and democracy has increased manifold as compared to 2004. Most people see the solution of the challenges faced by their country in strong democracy. Therefore, it is expected that they will vote with more enthusiasm.

Now, it is the core duty of Independent Election Commission (IEC) not to disappoint the people and ensure a free, fair and transparent election. An election marred with frauds and ballot stuffing will have far destructive outcomes for Afghanistan, especially at times when this country is standing at a very decisive juncture.

The government has made arrangements for securing polling stations. It should also assist IEC is transporting its logistics and personnel to the designated areas safely. That is another area that might be under focus of Taliban and other terror groups. In fact, the Taliban have already warned that they will not hesitate to kill IEC employees. This threat should be taken as serious and proper measures must be taken in this regard.