Afghanistan’s Karzai agrees to election run-off

AFGHANISTAN’S election commission has ordered a November 7 run-off in the disputed presidential poll after a fraud investigation dropped incumbent Hamid Karzai’s votes below 50% of the total. Karzai accepted the finding and agreed to a second-round vote.

The announcement came two months to the day after the first-round vote and follows weeks of political uncertainty at a time when Taliban strength is growing.

Karzai said final results showing the need for a run-off were “legitimate, legal and according to the constitution of Afghanistan”.