Presidential election in Afghanistan

K.N. Pandita
In a sense there is some commonality between the impending presidential election in Afghanistan and legislative elections in our state in post-militancy period. We will speak only of Afghanistan in this write up.
Success of presidential election in Afghanistan is crucial not only for the nation but also for stakeholders outside Afghanistan.  It will decide whether after more than a decade of violence and bloodshed peace has a chance in the region.
In the aftermath of American military intervention in 2001, which ousted the Taliban regime, Afghans have, among other things, begun to experience western type of democracy dovetailed to Afghan classic traditions.
However, while accepting popularly elected government’s bid to shape the destiny of the nation, Afghans do not abandon their traditional system of governance, the Loy Jirga, the conglomerate of tribal chiefs, community elders and the guardians of Afghan sovereignty also called warlords who frame consensus on national issues.
For example, the Loy Jirga in Kandahar supported the candidature of Qayum Karzai, the elder brother of President Hamid Karzai, as the presidential candidate. But Hamid Karzai prevailed upon the Jirga and induced his brother to withdraw in favour of a medical degree holder Zalmai Rassoul, the Former Forei

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