Kabul, October 17: The two top rival contenders of Afghanistan’s recent presidential elections are likely to step up power-sharing talks to avoid a protracted runoff vote.
According to Afghan and Western officials in Kabul, Abdullah Abdullah and incumbent president Hamid Karzai are exploring a deal to end the country’s political crisis by forgoing a second round and crafting a power-sharing arrangement.
The deal likely would not create a position for Abdullah, officials said, but could require Karzai to give key cabinet posts and governorships to members of Abdullah’s team. Representatives from the Karzai and Abdullah camps deny making any deals, although both sides have said they are open to the notion in principle.
Meanwhile, the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission, or ECC, said on Friday that it was close to unveiling its findings of a probe into fraud allegations anytime around Saturday.
ECC is “triple-checking” its numbers, an official familiar with the audit said. After the ECC’s audit of suspected polling-station results, Abdullah had 31% of the vote and Karzai 48% — shy of the majority required to avoid a runoff, the official said.
If the final results are below 50 percent, Karzai would face Abdullah in a second round — barring possible legal steps to invalidate the decision or an Abdullah decision to withdraw.
After two months of uncertainty, the situation now is getting tense with each passing hour, as officials are rushing through last-minute negotiations and meetings. If the runoff becomes necessary, it would be due within two weeks, officials said in Kabul.
Both sides are reluctant to engage in a runoff, which could be hobbled by low turnout, security risks and fraud.
—–Agencies