KABUL, (PNA/Xinhua) — Afghan newspapers on Monday gave huge coverage on the registration process of presidential hopefuls who offered their candidacy to contest the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for April 5, 2014 in the post-Taliban nation.
“The registration process of presidential aspirants was over late Sunday night during which over two dozen politicians including a lady had enlisted for the top job of the country,” the daily Etilaatroz writes in its Monday edition. In its editorial, the paper also emphasized the holding of a free and fair elections, saying the incumbent president from now on should keep away the establishment from interference in the electoral process.
Another newspaper Hash-e-Subh in its editorial cautioned that ” the long list of presidential candidates would only confuse the ignorant voters on the voting day” calling on the electoral body to shrink the names of the candidates.
Hasht-e-Subh also added that almost all the candidates registered their names, promising to fight corruption, work for peace, protect women’s rights and ensure justice in society.
However, it added that some of the candidates want to get fame; while few want to contest the historic elections.
“The dateline for the registration of presidential candidates was over Sunday night during which over two dozen people including a dissident leader Qutbudin Helal and two brothers named Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Hashmat Ghani Ahmadzai from same family registered for the presidential contest,” another newspaper the Daily Mandegar wrote in its editorial.
Lashing at long list of the candidates, the paper called on the government to ensure the transparency of the coming electoral process.
An English newspaper, the Daily Outlook also focused on the long list of presidential candidates, saying democracy has gained more supporters since the ouster of Taliban regime in 2001.
However, the Daily Outlook in its editorial added, “Key to Afghanistan’s future stability will be a credible and inclusive presidential election in 2014, followed by a constitutional transfer of power.”
“For a prosperous Afghanistan, the presidential candidates must enter the election battle with clean and sincere intentions,” the English paper stated in its editorial.