Registration of refugee voters in Pakistan for the Oct. 9 Afghan presidential election began yesterday with a brisk turnout reported in the southwest but a slow start at camps in the northwest.
Hundreds of Afghans, including women, lined up at a registration center set up at a school in Quetta, the main city of southwestern Baluchistan province, but far fewer were waiting at a sprawling camp on the outskirts of Peshawar.
"We have got this opportunity to vote for the first time in our lives, and we will participate in the election process," said Sajida Ibrahim, a 30-year old Afghan woman, as she queued up with about 300 other women to register in Quetta.
The International Organization for Migration says it is preparing for up to 800,000 refugees to register at more than 1,600 stations in camps and cities of Pakistan during the coming three days, just a week ahead of the vote itself -- Afghans' first chance to directly elect their leader after more than two decades of fighting. Up to 600,000 refugees in Iran will also have the opportunity to vote.
Millions of Afghans who fled the fighting and drought are still living in those two countries. They represent a significant bloc of voters, in addition to 10.6 million people already registered inside Afghanistan.
There were no immediate reports of violence yesterday. Election staff have received anonymous phone threats in the past two weeks, and "night letters" warning people not to vote have circulated in refugee camps. Taliban-led rebels inside Afghanistan have launched deadly attacks on election staff and voters in recent months.
Richard Atwood, regional head of the IOM in Baluchistan, told reporters that the registration process was going on peacefully in the province, although "we received threats from some elements."
Interim leader President Hamid Karzai, who came to power after a US-led coalition ousted the Taliban militia from power in late 2001, is expected to defeat his 17 challengers in the Oct. 9 election and could win much of the refugee vote, particularly among his fellow Pashtun tribesmen in Pakistan.
In Quetta, Razia Munim, 43, said Karzai had "proven that he had the ability to run the government" and peace was returning to Afghanistan under his tenure.
At Chachagari camp on the outskirts of Peshwar, home to more than 70,000 refugees, about a dozen men could be seen waiting outside a registration center.
Saifuddin, a 20-year old tailor who was born in the camp, showed his right thumb and index finger covered with indelible ink -- used to prevent voters from registering more than once.
"I have registered my vote and I'm very happy. Now I will have a say in the affairs of my country," he said. "It's up to all of us to make a positive contribution."
Election official Afsar Khan said registration started at the center at 7:30am, but only about 40 had been registered by 10am -- out of the 2,800 estimated eligible voters who are expected to sign up at the center over three days.
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