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Afghan president orders elections by April

AFP, Kabul
Afghan President Hamid Karzai ordered yesterday that presidential elections be held by April, months earlier than a date of August 20 set by the voting authority because of security and logistic issues.
In a decree that comes after weeks of consultations about the controversial date, Karzai said the Independent Election Commission had to conduct the elections according to provisions of the constitution.
He cited an article of the constitution which says the vote must be held within 30 to 60 days before the end of the presidential term which is on May21.
The decree also said the commission should "provide the necessary conditions based on laws for peoples' participation in a transparent, clear, just, free" election.
Government must do all it "can to solve the problems the commission faces", the decree said.
The commission last month delayed polling day to August 20 saying security and logistical concerns meant it would not be ready to hold legitimate and credible poll in the timeline provided by the constitution.
"The 1EC considered logistics, weather, security and funding and all aspects when it chose August 20," deputy chief electoral officer Zekria Barakzai told AFP after
Karzai's decree was issued.
The president has said he would stand for a second term, although he recently suggested he might reconsider.
It will be only the second presidential vote in the country's turbulent history and comes with Karzai under criticism for not being tough enough against corruption or being able to stop a downward spiral of insurgent violence.
Analysts have said an April election could benefit Karzai as he would campaign while in office and with the protection of international forces if he chose to travel into risky areas where insurgents are active.
The opposition meanwhile has not made clear who it would field for the vote and no serious challenger has yet thrown their hat into the ring.
The National Front coalition, the main opposition group, this week accused Karzai of trying to "confuse public opinions and confuse the contenders” with an earlyelection.
Afghanistan's international backers, including the United States and Britain, have also supported the announcement of an election in August with the United Nations a later polling day was a "pragmatic necessity".