A number of Provincial Council candidates Sunday expressed concerns about security problems in rural districts and villages across the country as they prepare to launch their campaigns this week.
The candidates said that if security is not guaranteed for them in the more remote parts of their provinces, where many of them must garner support if they hope to win, then it would be impossible to go ahead with their campaigns. They have also complained that the time allotted to them for campaigning would be insufficient.
According to the Independent Election Commission's (IEC) timeline, Provincial Council campaigns are expected to begin on Tuesday, March 4, and last for 30 days.
"The time for campaigning is not enough," a candidate from Kabul named Rahim Mujahid said. "We cannot present our plans to the villagers at this point."
Presidential campaigns have been running since the beginning of February. There were initial concerns about security threats to the Presidential hopefuls, who were slow to start traveling outside of Kabul to promote their platforms.
"The security challenges really exist and may increase, we ask for help in providing security," another candidate from Kabul named Zuhra Nawabi said.
The Ministry of Interior Affairs (MoIA) has said that plans for security precautions for Provincial Council candidates are in the works.
"Providing security for Provincial Council candidates is part of the Ministry's plans and candidates can contact with us if they face problems in a district," MoIA spokesperson Sediq Sediqqi said.
Presidential candidate Dr. Abdullah Abdullah barely survived an assassination attempt a couple weeks ago while traveling along the Kabul-Jalalabad highway on his way to a campaign event.