Karzai sweeps south-east Afghanistan

KABUL – Hamid Karzai appears certain to win Afghanistan’s first presidential election outright as the vote count speeds up, but there is still no guarantee that his rivals will accept the outcome.

Karzai is sweeping the Pashtun-dominated southeast where he is on more than 90 percent in six provinces, and is leading in 21 of 34 provinces overall following the historic October 9 polls. The ethnic-Pashtun incumbent is stretching his lead daily, staying firmly ahead of closest rival Yunus Qanooni and well ahead of the simple majority required to win and avoid a second round runoff.With 38,6 per cent of the vote counted as of 11:00 am yesterday, Karzai had 62,6 per cent of the vote, trailed by Qanooni on 16,7 per cent.In south-east provinces Khost and Logar he is scoring 97 per cent, in Paktia 96 per cent and 95 per cent in Kunar and Nangarhar.In his home province Kandahar, the former spiritual base of ousted Taliban rulers, he is on 91 per cent.Counting is moving faster than expected and organisers anticipate they could have 50 per cent of ballots tallied before the end of yesterday.- Nampa-AFPThe ethnic-Pashtun incumbent is stretching his lead daily, staying firmly ahead of closest rival Yunus Qanooni and well ahead of the simple majority required to win and avoid a second round runoff.With 38,6 per cent of the vote counted as of 11:00 am yesterday, Karzai had 62,6 per cent of the vote, trailed by Qanooni on 16,7 per cent.In south-east provinces Khost and Logar he is scoring 97 per cent, in Paktia 96 per cent and 95 per cent in Kunar and Nangarhar.In his home province Kandahar, the former spiritual base of ousted Taliban rulers, he is on 91 per cent.Counting is moving faster than expected and organisers anticipate they could have 50 per cent of ballots tallied before the end of yesterday.- Nampa-AFP