Overseas Afghan voters may not poll in 2014 elections

Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) has indicated that it would not be able to facilitate vote casting for overseas Afghans in the upcoming 2014 elections due to the lack of resources. The IEC body in a press statement added that due to the lack of time, it would be problematic to make arrangements for Afghans living abroad to take part in the April 5 polls if required financial resources were not made available to it within 21 days. The body had provided the government and the international community with a preliminary plan for how to enable overseas Afghans to vote, but there has been no response as of yet, according to its Secretary Ziaul Haq Amarkhel. Afghanistan would require USD 50 million to grant its nationals living in Pakistan and Iran their right to vote in the presidential and provincial council elections. Amarkhel added that the distribution of cards to eligible Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iran and the technical process in this regard had to be completed by the IEC. He also indicated that funds are not the only issue, but they have to register eligible voters and have to pave the ground for refugees taking part in the polls through establishing diplomatic contacts, voters' security, transfer of logistics and overseeing the process, etc. There are over five million refugees in Pakistan and Iran and according to the official; they would be deprived of their right to vote in the April 2014 elections if the funds were not provided.