Kabul, September 17: Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai denied Thursday that major fraud had taken place in landmark elections, which he is on track to win, despite mounting allegations of vote-rigging.
“Media has reported major fraud. It wasn’t that big. If there was fraud, it was small — it happens all over the world,” Karzai told reporters a day after preliminary results put him on track for victory with 54.6 percent.
But hundreds of thousands of ballots are being recounted because of fears of electoral fraud, and EU monitors have branded a quarter of the ballots cast as “suspicious” — most of them for Karzai.
“If there is fraud, it has to be investigated, but investigated fairly and without prejudice,” Karzai said.
“I hope our foreign friends respect the people of Afghanistan and let the IEC (Independent Election Commission) and the ECC (Electoral Complaints Commission) fulfil their work without prejudice.”
—Agencies