Karzai’s former rival claims his presidency ‘has no legal basis’

FORMER foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, who quit Afghanistan’s troubled presidential election race this week, yesterday said Hamid Karzai’s re-election had “no legal basis”.

Abdullah, who pulled out of a run-off poll scheduled after more than a million votes cast in the August 20 election were deemed fraudulent, said Karzai lacked legitimacy after being reappointed by electoral commissioners.

“This decision does not have a legal basis,” he told reporters in his first public appearance since Karzai was declared president for another five years.

Abdullah took a swipe at his rival’s pledge to eradicate corruption and build national unity following US pressure to clean up widespread graft.

“Such a government which lacks legitimacy cannot fight corruption,” he said. “A government which comes to power without the people’s support cannot fight phenomena of terrorism threats, unemployment, poverty and hundreds of other problems.”

Under pressure from US President Barack Obama to wipe out corruption, Karzai used his first appearance since being declared president to pledge a cleaner rule.