Afghans urged to ignore Taliban threats and vote

AFGHAN President Hamid Karzai urged citizens to vote in today’s parliamentary election, despite a Taliban threat warning people not to leave their homes and violence on the eve of the ballot.

The head of a voting centre in the south was killed yesterday when his vehicle struck a roadside bomb — one of at least 22 people who have been killed in election-related violence. In addition, one candidate and 18 election workers have been kidnapped in the run-up to the vote that will test the government’s ability to hold legitimate elections after last year’s disastrous presidential vote.

“Tomorrow’s election is very important,” Karzai told reporters. “I hope all our people in all corners of the country, in any village will go to the polling centres and to vote for their favourite candidate.”