Former president Hamid Karzai on Monday expressed concern over foreign intervention in the presidential election, calling on the United Nations to ensure its neutrality.
A statement from his office said the ex-president issued the call at a meeting with UN Secretary General’s Special Representative to Afghanistan Tadamichi Yamamoto.
The statement said that Yamamoto briefed the former president on recent developments in compilation of the presidential election result.
Karzai raised serious concerns over foreign interference in the presidential election and urged UNAMA to act as a neutral international body and respect the will of the Afghan people.
He asked Yamamoto to ensure his mission helped prevent civilian casualties, destruction of homes and other human rights abuses and highlight issues of the Afghan people to the international community.
Karzai’s concern over foreign interference in the election comes as the Independent Election Commission has failed to announce initial results in about two months.
This comes after Karzai on Sunday expressed grave concern over the use the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) for political purposes. In a short statement posted on his verified Twitter account, he said: “The use of security forces against civilians in election-related protests is a matter of grave concern.”
The former president claimed that Afghan forces have also been used to destroy homes in Wardak province and against political analysts and freedom of speech.
“The Afghan defense & security forces are for the protection of territorial integrity and the security of citizens. I urge ANDSF to remain cognizant of their responsibility to the high interests of the country and people,” he said.
According to another report, the former president met ambassadors of the United Kingdom, Japan, Sweden and Finland at his office.
The meetings focused on the Afghan peace process, with the envoys calling on Karzai to consider the role of women in the delegation for intra-Afghan talks in Beijing.
Karzai welcomed the call, saying he believed in the active role of women in the peace process and in other areas.
He added that women, who have suffered so much from the war and were concerned about the future of their country, should be involved in decision-making.
