As the elections are approaching, attacks and other terror incidents have also increased. The attacks on Kabul Serena Hotel, and the following attack on the regional office of Election Commission in Kabul are all the elements threatening the on-time presidential elections. Experts also link this trend of increasing attacks to the increased activity of Taliban and other terror groups with the melting snow because in winter, due to cold and snow, they become comparatively dormant, resulting in decrease in their activities.

The attack on Serena Hotel and the regional office of Independent Election Commission are linked together as exclusively aimed to create fear and increase uncertainty about upcoming presidential elections. Due to the attack on Serena Hotel, which is located in one of the most thoroughly-secured areas in the city and where most of the foreigners prefer to lodge in, has had its negative impact on the election process. In this hotel, members of three monitoring organs for elections were staying and as a result of this attack, two monitoring bodies have left the country and there remains behind only one monitoring commission of European Union to monitor the elections.

Similarly, the attack on the Election Commission’s office in Kabul was a clear message to all the voters that militants can attack wherever they wish and they would carry out similar attacks in all corners of the country on the day of election as well. As the militants have already boycotted these polls and warned the people to stay in their homes on the day of polls, so it is another way of conveying their message to the public.

When we talk of the consequences of these attacks, the decision of leaving the country by the election monitoring organs is very sad because they were going to give a clear picture of the health of these elections; inside and outside the country. In the absence of such independent observers, there remain the chances of the poll-rigging and other ill practices in the elections. It is recommended that government should invite them to look back at their decision and after they agree to return back, government should make fool-proof security arrangements for them.

As far as the second incident is concerned, the repeated vows of our security forces about impressive security arrangements on the election days would be sufficient to keep the morale of public high and motivate them to go for polling stations.

With all these incidents, it is a positive factor that media and public is playing its critical role to arise the importance of these elections in the minds of general public and people appear to be excited about the upcoming elections. And they should be, as it is the only chance they have to decide upon their fate.