An attempt by a coalition of 15 candidates to spoil Afghanistan's first presidential election was crumbling last night as dissenters began to back down on demands that the vote be declared void.
| That worked well, didn't it? |
President Hamid Karzai appears certain to win the poll despite efforts by opponents to throw it into chaos. After withdrawing in protest at alleged election fraud, their revolt fizzled out and the Washington-backed interim leader prepared for victory. An independent commission was set up to investigate claims by the candidates of widespread fraudulent voting and incompetence.
| Since the UN was running things, that wouldn't surprise me in the least... |
On Saturday afternoon, the 15 candidates claimed that nitrate ink used to stain voters' fingers to prevent them from voting more than once could be wiped off easily. They also claimed that ballot boxes were being stuffed with Mr Karzai's name. But a cabinet minister said some candidates joined the boycott in order to exert pressure to win positions in the new government. A team of western diplomats, led by the American ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, was yesterday putting pressure on the candidates to reconsider their boycott. Mohammed Mohaqiq, a Shia Hazara leader and warlord, agreed and the ringleaders, including Yunis Qanooni who is Mr Karzai's biggest rival, were reconsidering their demand. Others appeared to have caved in already. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which sent 40 monitors, said the protest was "unjustified" but stopped short of saying the election met international standards. |