LOC17:24
14:24 GMT
ISLAMABAD, Jan 4 (KUNA) -- The Independent Election Commission (IEC) of
Afghanistan has announced on Saturday that up to 3,000 national and
international observers would monitor the Afghan presidential polls to be held
in April.
The IEC spokesperson, Noor Mohammad Noor, while addressing a gathering,
promised that all interested civil society groups would be afforded the
opportunity to observe the polling process. He said that a Ministry of Justice
panel had already listed over 1,400 representatives of 120 local and
international entities.
Noor added that the commission has sent invitations to international
observers from the European Union and South Asia Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) countries. A civil society organization, Khat-i-Naw,
announced in the gathering that it would introduce 2,000 observers to IEC.
He urged Afghan youth to participate in the elections actively, since of
the estimated 12 million eligible voters, 70 percent are youth. (end)
sbk.ajs
KUNA 041724 Jan 14NNNN