Tonight:
5°c
Vote-rigging probe in region where 10 British troops died
Nicholas Cecil, Deputy Political Editor11 Sep 2009
A probe into possible ballot rigging has been launched in an area of Afghanistan where British soldiers died fighting the Taliban ahead of the presidential poll, it was reported today.
Concerns over election fraud in the Babaji area have been raised after president Hamid Karzai won 96, 97 and 98 per cent of the vote respectively in three out of four polling stations there, according to the BBC.
Babaji was at the centre of Operation Panther's Claw during which 10 British soldiers died earlier this summer. Turnout in this part of the southern Helmand province was reported to be as low as 150.
Preliminary results now show that 4,331 people cast their vote. However, this figure has been thrown into doubt by an observer at one of the polling stations reporting that just 15 voters turned up and by the very high share of the vote for Mr Karzai.
The election complaints commission is demanding a recount and audit at all polling stations where any candidate won more than 95 per cent of the vote.
Tory leader David Cameron has warned of "naked" fraud, creating a major divide with Gordon Brown.
Amid growing calls for an anti-Taliban national unity government in Kabul, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said it was reasonably clear that Mr Karzai and his main rival Abdullah Abdullah had won the vast majority of votes.
"It's their ideas and their reforms that need to help shape the future of Afghanistan and a credible government needs to show that," he told BBC radio. "We will not be party to any whitewash in respect of this election."
He admitted that the poll had not been "free and fair", but insisted a "credible result" was still possible.
The US envoy to Afghanistan, Richard Holbrooke, said the election commission should be given time to finish its work and has spoken out against a rerun of the poll: "Holding elections under these conditions is a very brave thing to do so let's see what happens."
A UN-backed fraud commission has already thrown out votes from at least 83 polling stations and ordered recounts at hundreds of others in three provinces that form Mr Karzai's political base. The ruling was the first time the commission has flexed its muscles in the aftermath of the election.
Former foreign minister Mr Abdullah, has claimed there was "state-engineered" election fraud.
Latest results from 92 percent of polling stations show Mr Karzai has 54 percent of the vote and Mr Abdullah, has 28 percent. If the complaints commission reduces Mr Karzai's margin below 50 per cent he would be forced to face Mr Abdullah in a runoff poll.
A top Taliban spokesman and four militant leaders have been arrested in Pakistan, officials said today. The group were seized in the Swat Valley. Muslim Khan was recently appointed chief spokesman of the Taliban and had a reward of 10 million rupees (£72,000) on his head.
