KABUL - The Ministry of Interior (MoI) on Monday said it had shared a comprehensive security plan for next year’s polls with the Independent Election Commission (’IEC).

MoI spokesman Ghulam Siddique Siddiqui told a news conference in Kabul five districts in Ghazni, Helmand and Nuristan provinces remained under Taliban’s control.

He said necessary measures had been proposed in the security plan for 6,845 poll centers, as sought by the election panel. The commission provided a list of 7,000 polling stations to security organs about six months ago.

Siddique said security would be maintained around all polling centers across the country, insisting no one should worry because Afghan forces were in good position to ward off any threat.

“The Taliban had warned people during the previous elections against casting their votes, but the masses braved the threat and streamed to polling centers to exercise their franchise right.”

The MoI spokesman believed millions of Afghans would come out of homes and take part in the April 5 presidential and provincial council elections. He said people’s support and cooperation was crucial to maintaining security and preventing insurgents from scuttling the process.

“We have still 10 months to go before the polls and the gap is an opportunity to take appropriate measures for security,” he said, adding election materials had been transferred to 421 of the 441 polling centers.

Also present on the occasion was Alexandra Taylor, deputy spokesman for NATO’s Senior Civilian Representative, who said the voter registration process was going well.

She added NATO would support the election process if asked so as part of the alliance commitments to the government of Afghanistan.

“We welcome the approval of election law and the achievements made by the electoral complaints commission”, Taylor said.

She said the election law was an important step towards giving a strong structure to the presidential and provincial elections. (Pajhwok)