KABUL - Insurgent groups are actively trying to destabilize the Presidential and Provincial Council elections set for April, according to Rahbatullah Nabil, the head of the National Directorate of Security (NDS).

"The enemies of the people of Afghanistan are trying to create problems, but I am sure that they can do nothing as long as the security forces are working together," Nabil said.

Security officials recently submitted a report to President Hamid Karzai that assured over 90 percent of polling centers would be open on election day.

More than 400 of the 6,845 total polling stations nationwide were said to be under serious security threat. However, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) has announced the introduction of some 300 new sites to compensate for those that will be closed due to security issues.

One of the biggest fears heading into April is that insecurity around the country could keep voters from turning up to the polls or open the door to manipulation and fraud.

Although the insurgents have largely brushed off the elections as a "waste of time", in the words of Mullah Omar, attacks on election officials would suggest they are not so indifferent.

Regarding Taliban talks with the Pakistani government, Nabil said the perspective in Pakistan was much different than one might think. "Those who are killing people in Afghanistan, they are good Taliban, and those who killing in Pakistan, they are the bad Taliban," he explained.

Many Afghan leaders have said that Pakistan is the key to peace with the Taliban. However, Islamabad has shown piecemeal commitment to facilitating the peace process for Kabul. Instead, Pakistani officials have seemed more focused on brokering peace with the militants in their own country. (Tolonews)