KABUL - Journalists in the eastern city of Jalalabad have ruled out any possibility of large-scale post-election violence as preliminary results of last week’s presidential and provincial council elections are starting to trickle in.

“Some people will try to create problems,” said engineer Zalmai, Director of national Radio and Television of Afghanistan-Nangarhar. “But this is not going to be serious.”

Zalmai said the situation will not get out of control. “There are some cases of fraud, but it is not to the extent to affect acceptance of the final results,” he said, adding that the results will be accepted by the Afghan people in general.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) has announced yesterday the first preliminary results of the presidential elections.

The independent electoral body of Afghanistan is expected to announce the final certified results in mid to late September.

Ajmal Sadat and Maroof Sadat of Abassyn Radio 91.8 also think that things will not be too problematic.

“I don’t think there will be serious strikes or demonstrations,” said Maroof Sadat, expressing satisfaction over “smooth” polling in Nangarhar province on 20 August.

Shafiqullah Shaiq, Director of Jalalabad-based media giant Shaiq Media Network, also shares views expressed by the Sadat duo and Zalmai.

“There were some reported cases of fraud, but they were not worth considering,” said Shaiq, who controls two radio stations, one television station and a newspaper in Jalalabad.

“I am very optimistic that the next government will be very good government,” added Shaiq.

United Nations’ top envoy in Afghanistan, Kai Eide, has urged all candidates, their campaigners, voters and media to respect the electoral process and be patient, so that the Electoral Complaints Commission can carry out its work and make decisions on the complaints that have been received.

By Tilak Pokharel and Shafiqullah Waak, UNAMA

Website: Independent Election Commission [http://www.iec.org.af/]

Website: Electoral Complaints Commission [http://www.ecc.org.af/]