KABUL - Leading presidential candidate Dr. Abdullah Abdullah on Saturday accused certain elements of raking up linguistic, ethnic and sectarian issues at a critical juncture in Afghanistan’s history.

Addressing a news conference in Kabul, the National Coalition of Afghanistan (NCA) head underlined the need for national unity, as the country was witnessing vital political and security transitions.

“We want the people to act with great caution, demonstrate a high degree of awareness and not to walk into the traps laid by the elements who are at work to destabilize Afghanistan,” Abdullah said.

Recently, some senators came to blows over the issue of electronic identity cards. A TV channel later screened a live program provoking linguistic and ethnic prejudices, which led President Hamid Karzai to criticize the media.

Regarding the cutting of a woman’s nose and lips by her husband in Herat province, Abdullah said violence against females had reached its peak. The incident proved the culture of impunity previous was fuelling violence against women, he remarked. (Pajhwok)