Atta Noor criticizes IEC over inadequate awareness campaign

Chief Executive of Jamit-e-Islami and former Balkh governor Atta Mohmmad Noor said on Friday that only 3500 people had by Thursday registered themselves to vote which is a poor show so far.

Criticizing IEC over its inadequate awareness campaign, he called on the public to support the election and register to vote.

He said that between Saturday and Thursday 6,000 people in Balkh had applied for paper identity cards and 3,500 had registered to vote.

“Six thousand people have received ID cards, which is not enough, there are 3 to 3.5 million people in Balkh province, and 3,500 people went to the registrations center, indicating that people are still unaware (about registering),” Noor said.

Noor criticized the Independent Elections Commission’s (IEC) and said: “The IEC did not carry out the necessary awareness campaigns.”

Noor urged religious scholars to encourage people to take part in the elections.

He said: “I ask each one of you to go and renew your ID cards and get ID cards, then register at the voter registration centers.”

According to IEC statistics, between Saturday and Wednesday, 113,924 people registered to vote across the country, of which 37,000 were women.

The Afghan government has repeatedly called on the people to register their names and to take part in the upcoming parliamentary and district council elections as well as next year’s presidential elections, according to Tolo News.