In the wake of recent incidents and claims vs. proclaims of fraud and a resulting second round of elections in a poor, largely devastated, war-torn nation the only angle which remained untouched due to the hype of pressure from the opposition candidate and surprising US and UN interference and to some extent forceful push for a second round, is whether Afghans can avoid a run-off?

Instead of forcing the poor nation to undergo the huge expenses of second round of elections, the first round of which cost over 300 million US dollars, the UN and US could have exerted the same pressure on the two top contenders to concede to a coalition government or agree to a power sharing formula. Further, a very legal and logical solution could be to fight the second round of elections not in the warzones or chilling zones but in the country’s legislative assemblies that reflects the representation of every part of the country irrespective of the socio-economic position of the area.

The repercussion could have been unacceptable to one of the candidates and well in line with the wishes of the other but the result of the second round won’t be different. People would also disagree that in democracies you’ve to go to the public for approval in every affair of national importance especially one that is going to be a decider for their national leader but in a country like Afghanistan, democracy can’t be implemented by force or by fame.

Afghanistan is, in fact, thriving under extraordinary conditions now. It has to be inculcated in every Afghan through proper medium. Though in all third world countries elections or not of choice but of chance. You get a chance to vote. You don’t have the choice to elect a leader who could do something for you. The current scenario in Afghanistan presents a confusing choice for Afghans as to who should be elected and who should be eliminated? Both candidates are notorious for their stories of corruption and fear in the country.

Apparently in this run-off, which could be avoided wisely, Abdullah Abdullah has won the hearts and minds of the western world. He has been supported in every forum directly or indirectly. Richard Holbrooke’s meeting with him before the first round of elections and a subsequent meeting with the sitting president brought him the anger of incumbent President. Therefore, when I saw the story of New York Times linking Karzai’s brother Ahmed Wali Karzai to CIA Pay roll and his role in the lucrative drug mafia and trade of the country, I wasn’t surprised at all. It could be understood easily in two ways. First, that the US is not happy with Hamid Karzai and that US wishes to defame him by linking his brother to such espionage and Secondly, US is trying to bargain Karzai’s power in Afghanistan and wants its share to increase by frightening Karzai and even doing its best to defeat Karzai in the second round.

Out of all this the argument is whether a run-off could be avoided and to me it’s yes. We can avoid it by all means. Why is the UN and US trying to put at risk the lives of poor Afghans who are not going to benefit from this election at all? Whereby, UN can’t secure its guest house in Kabul or at least its staff in Kabul, which is heavily manned by Coalition Forces and Afghan Police, how can UN or US or the Afghan government guarantee the safety of hundreds of thousands of poor Afghans in other parts of the country to go out and vote for their so-called future national leader?

So, the best way is to avoid it and go to the Parliament for approval or simply call a “LOYA JIRGA” grand Jirga, which is traditionally called to solve the outstanding issues of the country. Safe a life and you’ve saved humanity. Hence, it’s urged to avoid a senseless second round and let the Afghans choose the worst choices they are facing, in their parliament or a Loya Jirga. Under extraordinary conditions, I am confident the country’s constitution also allows such a practice. Hope the decision makers decide wisely and avoid putting the lives of innocents in danger.