Karzai campaign visits Shiberghan

AFGHAN President Hamid Karzai, frontrunner in next month’s landmark election, travelled north yesterday to inaugurate a road project, his first domestic trip since he survived a rocket attack 10 days ago.

The visit was not officially a part of his election campaign, with Mr Karzai constrained because of security concerns and political sensitivity over using US military helicopters and guards to boost his election chances.

But the visit to Shiberghan, 400 kms north-west of the capital, Kabul, is widely seen as a campaign trip in all but name.