20 August 2009 09:43 am - Afghans, young and old, male and female are queuing up outside polling stations across the country to cast their votes.

Queues are building with reports in from Kabul, Herat and Dai Kundi out side polling centres with the polls now open for tow and half hours.

In Jalalabad, in the east of the country people came to polling stations as early as 5:45 am while in Kunduz over 50 people were waiting for their turn to vote.

“Democracy is good and it should last forever. I am here to vote for the candidate who could serve people, bring prosperity, development in deprived provinces like Dai Kundi,” said Ali Shair a resident of Kohna Deh village of Dai Kundi province.

Women also take part in the elections with local television showing women going to the polls in Kandahar province.

“Election are a process and every eligible person should take part in; especially women, who make up half of the society’s population, should intensely be a part of this process,” said Mahbooba Fazili a teacher for Nili, the provincial capital of Dai Kundi.

Today’s election is the second election to take place in Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

By Homayon Khoram, (UNAMA)