Hekmatyar’s name exists voter list, but no sticker on ID card

KABUL (Pajhwok): Presidential candidate and head of the Hezb-i-Islami Gulbuddin Hekmatyar on satuday said he cast his vote depiste no electoral sticker on his Tazkera, while the Independent Election Commission (IEC) said that vote without sticker was not acceptable.

Hekmatyar, who heads the Peace and Justice team, cast his vote in the Habibia High School in capital Kabul.

Some media outlets reported that Hekmatyar voted without a sticker on his Tazkera and the news circulted on social media while the HIA media person, Fazal Ghani Haqmal, also confirmed that Hekmatyar’s Tazkera had no sticker.

“After casting his vote, Hekmatyar showed his Tazkera to reporters and said he could cast vote without a sticker.”

Hikmatyar’s son Habiburrahman Hikmatyar said: “When Meshar — Hikmatyar — nominated himself as presidential candidate he was registered then, entered his name to biometric system and this place was pointed out to him for casting his vote. He was not aware that his Tazkera was registered and from beginning he was of the view that people should be allowed to cast their vote without biometric.”

According Habiburrahman, Hikmatyar stressed over voting without biometric because according to him most people this condition deprived many people from voting.

IEC deputy head Syed Esmatullah told reporters that he did not believe a candidate could vote without a sticker on his Tazkera. He added it was one of the conditions that a nominee should have sticker on his Tazkera.

He said: “Hekmatyar’s name was in the voter list and its location was PD 7^th and his sticker No. is 15672403 and his name is on No. 206 in the voters list.”

IEC official at the Habibia School where Hikmatyar cast his vote, acknowledged that there was not sticker on Hekmatyar’s ID card but for being a respected person, they allowed him to cast his vote but he latter made the issue public.

Ahmad Shah Erfanyar

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