Afghanistan - Abdullah slams Karzai re-election

Abdullah attacks Karzai re-election

Article published on the 2009-11-04 Latest update 2009-11-04 10:28 TU

Former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah speaks during a news conference in Kabul
(Photo: Reuters/Oleg Popov)

The former presidential challenger Abdullah Abdullah launched a withering attack on the Afghan president Hamid Karzai, describing his re-election as illegal. However, he called on his supporters to show restraint and not take to the streets in protest.

Abdullah, who on Sunday pulled out of a run-off with Karzai in the presidential election, said the subsequent decision by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) to hand Karzai another five years in power had no basis in law and underlined its bias.

"This (IEC) decision does not have a legal basis," Abdullah told reporters.

"Such a government which lacks legitimacy cannot fight corruption.

"A government which comes to power without the people's support cannot fight phenomena of terrorism, unemployment, poverty and hundreds of other problems."

Abdullah said the Afghan people had hoped for a new chapter in their lives but instead the president had blown a "golden opportunity".

Abdullah, however, called on his followers not to resort to violence.

"Let there be only one example of law-breaking," he said.