The concerns of presidential election are taking the country into an imminent chaotic situation. After Secretary Karry’s interference that broke the electoral stalemate between the two leading candidates Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, the public and intellectuals felt that the stalemate was over.
However there still seems to be concerns among the two candidates over the process of ballot investigation. The incompetency of IEC is once again propping up the electoral stalemate which may take the country in to no point of return. The ballot investigation has been put on halt until fourth of Eid-Ul-Fitr by IEC and the cause for the delay of the investigation has been cited as disillusion of candidates over the investigation mechanism and cancelation of rigged ballot papers.
However according to the press release of the candidates; the agreement over the investigation mechanism has been achieved and forwarded to the IEC and now the ball is in IEC’s court to accomplish the investigation process as fairly as possible. United Nation Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has welcomed the agreement of the candidates over the mechanism of ballot investigation and asked the IEC to speed up the process to avoid further stress among the people regarding the electoral process.
The debate over the upcoming coalition government has also put the two candidates in a fix as to what formula to be used in order to form the government in which the loser is the winner and the winner is not the sole power. Mr. Dobbins the US focal point for Afghanistan and Pakistan has said that new government will be of Parliamentary system. In the parliamentary system the post of president is a symbolic one and the prime minister is the executive position of governing the country and that is what it is practiced in the countries where the parliamentary system is already in place.
In this case the problem will still not be solved as both candidates will still fight for the executive post unless the losing candidate devotes his personal interest for national interest and choose to be the president. There is a certain mind set in the country that is trying to create misperception against the parliamentary system. In our neighborhood Pakistan is exercising the parliamentary system. The military coups four times installed presidential system and in this way made several amendments in the constitution to place the new form of government.
We have never witnessed any pubic disorder. In contrary the country has been moving forward peacefully for several decades. What if slight amendment is made to Afghan constitution in order to amend the presidential system into parliamentary system to share the power among the major ethnicities to pave the way for stability and peaceful political transition in the country which will lay crucial foundation for future transition of powers? The general climax in the country indicates that the public opinion is totally against the political rivalries of both candidates over elections who are putting at stake the democratic achievements made during more than one decade.
On the other hand terrorists have increased their brutal attacks against the civilians and the economy of the country is weakening as the investments are shrinking in every sector. Unemployment is reaching its peak which can easily trigger the young generation into joining the antigovernment element.
The two candidates must respect the mandate given by their voters and reach a political agreement over the formulation of new government and cooperate with IEC to accomplish the ballot investigation and respect the decision. The prolonging electoral investigation will further destabilize the country and the rift between the two candidates will further widen, the expected political solution will be at stake and the population will bore the brunt of economic, social, political and criminal fallback of election.