Kabul (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The campaign team of Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah yesterday released audio recordings which they say contained evidence of fraud against a senior member of the country's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). However, they refuse to disclose their source. The recordings have been handed to the presidency.
The audio tapes appear to capture conversations between a senior election official, Zia Ul-Haq Amarkhail, and colleagues in at least four other provinces.
In an apparent reference to ballot box stuffing, the tapes appear to show Mr. Amarkhail urging a colleague to "bring the sheep stuffed and not empty". The reference to sheep and goats - ballot boxes and people or votes - is made several times during the recorded exchanges.
In a separate conversation he also apparently deals with concerns from a colleague, who warns that "others make the majority in our office". Mr. Amarkhail responds to him with the words "why don't you get rid of them, take a stick and kick them all out".
Lately even Ashraf Ghani, rival of Abdullah Abdullah, made fraud allegations. However the audio tapes appear to reveal that Amarkhail is working in Dr. Ghani's interest.
Afghan presidential elections were held on 5 April 2014. Since any of the eight candidates got an absolute majority, last 14 June there was a run-off among the most voted: Abdullah Abdullah, National Coalition of Afghanistan, and Ashraf Ghani, Independent.
