By Ahmad Munir
Afghans will go a long way despite insecurity and widespread pessimism to achieve change, but will they be able to do so in the face of corrupt government and brutal armed opposition? This is a question that Afghans can only respond.
Afghanistan is merely days away from an important presidential and provincial elections and varied expectations and fears are uttered about election results as well as the post election scenarios.
Expected to be the first peaceful power transitions in the history of this central Asian country, not only the Afghans themselves, but most of the world countries particularly those who supported the post Taliban transition, are watching closely this crucial chapter of Afghan history.
Acknowledging this important development of the nascent democracy, the anti-government elements too have stepped up their attacks on government officials as well as local residents in various cities across Afghanistan to prevent elections to be a roaring victory.
Fear is evident in the face of the locals across the country, but the insecurity has so far failed to discourage the locals from coming out as daringly as ever, apparently they have become used to the violence, by now a routine in the day-to-day lives of the Afghans.
People have turned up in unprecedented numbers at election campaign rallies; however, it has attracted little attention of mainly pessimists here and beyond. While the huge participation presents positivity and hope for future elections, there are allegations of misconduct in few of these gatherings.
Quite contrary, many of these campaign gatherings have been voluntary and out of an irrepressible desire for change, few have allegedly been assembled by coercion and pretence of distribution of aid.
Lately, a clip of a presidential contender's campaign in southeastern Paktia province and two weeks earlier one in southern Kandahar province circulated in the social network services indicating deceit and force behind those gathering.
Not only disgusting in itself, the deceitfulness from an election campaigner and contender who wishes to lead the country, is so disheartening practice to start with, tattering the hopes of millions who cannot wait to experience change.
Additionally, such reports with widespread allegations against the central government's rigging, if come out to be true, will shatter the optimism about this democratic process and change in future. As the Afghan saying goes, the journey intended based on malicious and ill-purpose, can never reach its destination, such goes with campaigns built on deceit that can never be accountable to its constituents, leave alone larger objectives and national interest. They might achieve power, but it’ll be illegitimate and not supported by general public.
The fears about such election and its outcome are unimaginable. The history has seen various changes and nothing is unimaginable.
The consequences of the alleged fraud in this election could undermine the values of democracy and will set a precedence for upcoming evolutions in the otherwise promising democracy.