KABUL — President Hamid Karzai on Saturday called on the Taliban to refrain from disrupting the nationwide election to be held in August and to cast ballots themselves.
“I want them not only to support the election,” Karzai said of the Taliban insurgents, “but also to stop the war forever.”
Those pleas seemed unlikely to be met. Taliban leaders have refused to accept the Afghan constitution or to take part in the election, which is scheduled for Aug. 20. Karzai’s remarks, made at a news conference at the presidential palace in Kabul, pointed to concerns Afghan and American officials have about their ability to protect the voters. Afghans are scheduled to choose a president and members of provincial councils. Taliban leaders have remained silent about whether they intend to disrupt the election. The Associated Press
