On the night of June 13, after watching the football match between Netherland and Spain, my friend and I had a serious discussion about the second round of Presidential election. Both of us, without any personal expectations, used to support rivaling team. Unbelievably, our discussions took more than an hour to convince one another to support the respective favorite team. Finally, none of us accepted the opposite stance and decided to go our own ways---each should vote his own team.

In early morning, before even we got up from the bed, some friends were calling and asking whether we were out to vote or not? It seemed much like a festival that everybody was going to participate. It seemed that none wanted to miss the chance to exercise their vote.  When I asked some of the participants that do they believe that the process would be fair and transparent. With surprise I heard that many even did not think about the winner or fraud. They were arguing that we are just doing our responsibilities. Even if the fraud happens, but still mere voting was a positive thing and we need to exercise it for the sake of the next generation. “Fraud cannot happen always and it will be prevented in the future. If we do not vote now and do not exercise the democratic means, the next generation will not learn to play fair in the future. By voting, I tell my sons and small daughters that their destiny will be only changed through democratic means not bullets as our forefathers told us and we ended up into an utter misery”, said a relative old man.

Despite worries about the level of turnout in the second of the election, people took part to an appropriate level.  They showed that they are tired of dictatorship and do not want to brandish their arms and shoot one another. Rather people started believing on the new methods which on one hand only takes them to polling centers every five years and the other hand choose their rulers.

Additionally, the turnout in the restive areas was also quite good. Though Taliban threatened to punish anyone who ventures out for voting but meanwhile many put their lives on the line to elect a new president who can work for them and their offspring.

Furthermore, the high level of turnout reflected a high political conscience of people developed during last ten years. No doubt what people say but deep down there is pinching them saying that your vote has the power to someone into the power. Unlike previous time that the continuous 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 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 the country is on the right track and huge humanitarian and financial investment of international community or lets our sincere foreign allies started giving fruits. Kabul is far democratic 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 they country is on the right track provided politicians do not ruin the process following their narrow personal and communal interests. We passed the second round of presidential election and Taliban failed to carry out any major attack to disrupt the smooth process of the election. But a month possibly thereafter people may live in fear. Still our politicians have not reached to level to respect decision of people. Perhaps, they value people and their idea only when it supports their benefits. But the time when it appears that people’s resolve may deal blow to their interest, they will find a new face and struggle to hide reality by every possible means. Both Ashraff Ghani and Dr. Abdullah have announced themselves as the ultimate winner but it is highly unlikely to congratulate each other in case one wins. Thus, both need to consider the price people voted for them; people lost lives only for casting a single vote. Hopefully, millions of votes will not be wasted for personal interests and power struggle.