On Thursday, May 22, the second round of presidential election formally kicked off. The two presidential candidates who gained the largest percentage of votes to test the level of their popularity among people through polling stations; at least it is what it seems. Dr. Abdullah Abdullah who gained 45 percent of total casted votes and Dr. Ashraff Ghani Ahmadzai gained slightly more than 31 percent of votes in the first round of the presidential election held on 5th April.
Despite serious questions about the transparency of the presidential election and complaints registered by team of Dr. Ashraff Ghani Ahmazai, Tadawom-wa-Tahawul (Progress and Change) and the team of Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Eslahat-wa-Hamgarae (Reforms and Cooperation), but finally both teams seemed pleased of what both elections commissions---Independent Election Commissions and Independent Election Complaint Commission---did. Before the elections there were serious questions about the transparency and safety of the elections. There were rumors that the US will interfere in the election and will appoint its favorite candidate as ruler. Many were arguing that how it was possible that foreign countries with expenditure of billions of dollars stand neutral and do not interfere to the elections in order to bring its own favorite candidates who support the long-term strategic objectives of the United States and its allies for the very reason they ousted Taliban regime. Though this notion looks much ridiculous after the election in which foreign allies showed their sincerity and commitment to independence of Afghanistan and respected the decision of Afghan nation, but there are still individuals out there who continuously spread the notion that behind any single issue happen in the country there is foreign hand, particularly of the western countries.
This notion is not something that we consider as idea gushing out from narrow minds of individuals who are of no importance in the political structure of Afghanistan. This is something that even high ranking officials believe. Sitting in a gathering of some medium political players, many of them were talking that they were unaware what CIA of the US was about to do? They were of the view that anyone who gets the support of the CIA will finally become the ultimate president of Afghanistan.
Unfortunately, such notorious and baseless ideas are generally fuelled by centuries-long antagonism with West and also interference of neighboring countries who are trying to disrupt the Kabul-Washington bilateral relation.
As the modern history displays, Afghanistan has always been a battleground for emperors and powerful countries. If the kings were ousted and new rulers appointed, all happened by direct or indirect engineering of political situation by a foreign country. The most recent was the emergence of Taliban who came to power by countries who are viewed by Afghans the allies of western countries. So, their interference into country’s domestic issue necessarily estimated as interference of foreign countries. Finally when Taliban were ousted by the US-led military intervention, it was also interpreted by anti-west fronts as the long term plan of the US to capture the country.
Therefore, such interference during last centuries developed a very suspicious notion against the western countries not only in Afghanistan but many other countries to some extent. Such a suspicious picture of the western countries which are known by common people led by the United States developed an environment where people suspect the hands of foreign countries into very basic incidents that US never thought about them. Same is the case with quite highly important issue as the security situation and anti-Taliban struggle. As once Mr. President Hamid Karzai openly claimed that Taliban act in alliance with the US interest in order to prolong Washington’s military presence. His statement reflected that the suspicion is shared by even the highest ranking Afghan officials about invisible hands of West.
Similarly, many countries who are aware of such widespread suspicion always try to fuel it in order to put Afghans alert against our foreign allies’ military presence. Peace and stability ensured by having strong international allies is what terrifies some of the regional countries who fear of losing their strategic status to Afghanistan and also the ones that oppose US military presence near their borders.
Hence before the presidential election, some countries were mocking the electoral process and part of the people was worried about waste of their votes. But finally the result proved astonishingly different. The long queues of man and women standing under the heavy rain and rejecting the Taliban reflected a promising different story. The election portrayed that the country is on the right track and huge humanitarian and financial investment of international community or let’s say our sincere foreign allies started giving fruits. Kabul is far democratic than the capitals of many regional Islamic countries. The democratic achievements made during last decade are enviable for numbers of regional countries. The presence of Afghan women in political process and civil society is unprecedented.
All these issues are proving that the country is on the right track provided politicians do not ruin the process following their narrow personal and communal interests. There is no doubt that the second round of the election will witness high level of turnout due to increased political conscience. Votes from different polling stations showed that communal lines of voting is reclining to back stage and people are making much wise decisions about their favorite candidates. Thus, I hope that candidates respect the decision of people as the international community did which certainly would be assurance for future political stability.