Three presidential candidates on Thursday held campaign rallies in various parts of the country where they discussed issues around the ongoing peace process and the significance of the upcoming presidential election for the country. 

Rahmatullah Nabil, one of the candidates, launched his first rally in his hometown Maidan Wardak Province where he said that election is not his red line but he said that there is a need to clarify the prospect of durable peace and stability as a result of any peace negotiations. 

“There is a huge impudence that even pushed our country towards chaos. But now one comes and accuses the other. One says that his authorities were limited while the other says that the fault goes to someone else while both of them (Ashraf Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah) were sharing the procurement contracts and divided all of them among themselves,” Mr. Nabil said. 

Another candidate Shahab Hakimi addressed his supporters in Kalakan and Qarabagh districts of Kabul where he said that the current situation in the country is not suitable for election. 

“In the view of the prevailing circumstances, it is impossible to held the election,” he said. 

Presidential candidate Mohammad Hakim Torsan also spoke among his supporters in Kabul, saying the people of Afghanistan will not be deceived by those who are involved in "corruption and treason". 

Mr. Torsan said he is ready to support the establishment of an interim government if there is the assurance that such a move will finally result in a meaningful peace in the country. 

“The government officials and mafia circles know and realize that if peace comes to the country, the people of Afghanistan will bring each one of them to accountability,” Mr. Torsan added. 

Seventeen candidates are running in the September presidential election in Afghanistan alongside incumbent President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah.