Kochis face problems in presidential vote

KABUL (Pajhwok): In some provinces the Kochis and their representatives faced problems in Saturday’s presidential ballot.

Haidar Jan, a Kochi representative in Wolesi Jirga, told Pajhwok Afghan News the nomads faced different problems during polling.

He said the Kochis lived in one place in the winter and moved to another in the summer. The nomadic tribespeople were thus denied the right to vote, he added.

They had moved from the areas where they had attached stickers so their voter cards and thus could not cast their votes, the lawmaker explained.

Jan said several Kochis could not vote in central Logar province. At some voting centres, names of Konchis had been missing from voter lists.

The legislator continued the nomads also encountered some minor issues in Khost, Nangarhar and Paktika provinces. However, they were able to cast their ballots.

Iran Gul, the IEC head for Logar, acknowledged attacks on some polling stations in the province. However, he said, the voting process was completed successfully.

He said only the Porak polling station in Pul-i-Alam, the provincial capital, remained closed for an hour.

Gul Marjan Farooqi, hailing from Khost, said there were fewer Kochis living in the province these days and they did not have any issue.

Rahmatullah, a resident of the Qasimabad area of Behsud district in Nangarhar, said several individuals had arrived at a polling station but their names were not on the voter list.

He said they traveled to the Kuz Kunar district and cast their votes on time.

Nangarhar IEC Director Zabihullah told Pajhwok the Kochis had been registered in districts but they wanted to cast votes in cities — which was impossible.

He said according the IEC procedure one can cast his/her vote at the polling station where he/she had been registered.

Pajhwok Reporter

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