KABUL - Following Balkh governor’s rhetoric to launch a protest movement if the election result favoured Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, Ahmad Zia Massoud warned on Wednesday that any step aimed at destabilising the country would not be acceptable.
Massoud, a member of the Ahmadzai’s team, warned that the nation would rise up against any tactics employed to weaken the state or the nation.
A day earlier, Balkh Governor Atta Muhammad Noor threatened to launch “Orange and Green Revolutions” if Ahmadzai was declared winner in the final election result.
Noor, a close aide to presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah, likely referred to the 2009-10 disputed elections in Iran, where protestors adopted the colour green as their symbol because it had been the campaign colour of presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi.
And the Orange Revolution in Ukraine followed the disputed second round of the Ukrainian presidential elections in 2004, leading to the annulment of the result and the repeat of the round.
“The Abdullah’s team should not threaten the nation with protests because no one has the right to create chaos among the masses,” Massoud said, adding that Afghans were fed up with the infighting.
He called upon the people of Afghanistan not to allow anyone to damage the country or reverse the achievements made over the past 13 years.
“Anyone who incites others to protest or disrupts peace of the country will face wrath of the nation,” he said.
He acknowledged there had been flaws and drawbacks in the elections but stressed that the results should be accepted in the larger national interest. The presidential election was a step forward in building the nation, which will rid the country of turmoil, he hoped.
He urged both the candidates to respect the agreement they had signed and avoid deals behind closed doors that could harm the national interest.
He said though the Change and Continuity team, led by Ahmadzai, had more votes, yet it should consider suggestions of the Reforms and Unanimity team led by Abdullah.
“Afghanistan has a centralised political system and it is impossible to establish multiple governmental powers,” he said, in reference to the proposed chief executive post, which Abdullah’s camp says should have more power and authority.
A running mate of Abdullah, Mohammad Mohaqiq, has said Ashraf Ghani viewed the chief executive post nothing more than a symbolic position.
The Abdullah camp wants the chief executive to be the head of the Cabinet.
The Reform and Unanimity team’s claims about widespread fraud in favour of Ahmadzai were baseless, said Massoud, who added the full vote audit showed Abduallah’s team had committed more fraud than its rival team.(Pajhwok)