Karzai denies backing CEO’s electoral team

KABUL (Pajhwok): Former president Hamid Karzai has scotched speculation that he has joined the Stability and Consultation team led by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdullah.

Wrong information:

On Wednesday, the Afghanistan Information Network published a report titled “Hamid Karzai announces support for Abdullah Abdullah’s team.”

Another news outlet reported he former president had joined the Stability and Consultation team.

Facebook users:

News of Karzai’s support for Abdullah’s team has been making rounds on Facebook over the past 24 hours, drawing interesting reaction from the public.

The Stability and Consultation team wrote on its Facebook page: “A big step towards victory, former president Hamid Karzai backs Abdullah’s team. We consider this a big breakthrough and a major great step towards victory.”

A Facebook page called ‘Khabar-i-Fawri’ (Breaking News), said: “Former president Hamid Karzai has joined the Stability and Consultation team led by Dr. Abdullah.”

Another Facebook Page –“Chashem Badamiha” — said: “Karzai has ordered his supporters to strive hard to ensure Dr. Abdullah wins more than 60 percent of votes in the first round.”

Shah Hussain Murtazavi, senior advisor to the president on cultural affairs, wrote on his Facebook wall:  “Will Abdullah trust Karzai? In the previous election, Karzai’s support was crucial to candidates.

“Dr. Abdullah sought his support several times but Karzai repeatedly said I have been transferred power from Rabbani and now will hand it over to you.”

He added Abdullah trusted Karzai. But Karim Khurram’s stories showed Karzai had not been honest with Abdullah. Abdullah then developed severe antipathy towards Karzai.

He continued: “A few years ago. Abdullah cut off his relationship with the government and intensified his opposition to Ghani. It was then revealed that Abdullah’s discomfort was Ghani’s special respect for Hamid Karzai during a program at Presidential Palace.

It is still unclear what plan Karzai has for Abdullah but it seems the CEO would not easily trust the ex-president,” Murtazavi remarked.

Sarah Afzali, another user of Facebook, wrote that Hamid Karzai had reportedly joined CEO Abdullah’s camp.

Mahtabudding Shafiq wrote about Sarah Afzali’s post: “Hamid Karzai has tortured his conscience hardly for five years against his fraud for Ghani.”

Naveed Azimi, another user of Facebook, posted: “Karzai is supporting the Stability and Consultation team ahead of the presidential election.”

Atifa Azimi, commenting on the post, said: “May God make it happen; I hope they will be honest.”

Bloggers:

Abdul Razeq Mamoon blogged the row between the former and the sitting presidents had resulted in Hamid Karzai’s support to Dr. Abdullah.

Mamoon said: “Karzai, during his latest visit to Kandahar, urged supporters and the Durrani tribesmen to campaign for Dr. Abdullah in the presidential election. Karzai hailed Abdullah as a Muslim and as a mujahid.

He added Abdullah set store by safeguarding national unity and had bonds both with Tajiks and Pashtuns.

Before his trip, the blogger alleged Karzai told a group of Kandaharis that Ashraf Ghani was born as a Hindu. Peshawar based Sikhs and Hindus had been brought to Afghanistan during the British Raj and eventually they converted to Islam. His marriage with a rich Christian woman illustrates this fact.

Karzai called on his supporters to swing behind Abdullah in the September 28 polls so that he wins more than 60 percent of votes.

The Stability and partnership Team:

An official of the Stability and Partnership team, who wished to go unnamed, told Pajhwok Afghan News Hamid Karzai had not formerly joined their camp but he had asked supporters to lend their weight to Abdullah.

What is the whole truth?

Mohammad Yousuf Saha, head of Karzai media’s office, rejected reports that the ex-president had joined the Abdullah team.

He termed the reports as mere rumours and said: “The stance of Karzai has already been clear: He would not support any presidential candidate.”

He said Karzai had been insisting on lasting peace in the country. Karzai had not supported any presidential candidate in the past and would not back anyone in the future, he maintained.

Outcome of fact-finding:

Pajhwok Afghan News investigates stories so as to establish their accuracy under a new mechanism. The new framework involves correct, incorrect, half-true, somewhat true and somewhat untrue categories. This story falls in the incorrect category.

Zarghoona Salehi

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