About 100 Afghan members of parliament demanded on Monday that President Hamid Karzai inaugurate the assembly by December 19, almost three weeks after final results of a fraud-marred election were declared. Afghanistan's political crisis has been simmering since even before the much-criticised September 18 ballot, with tension rising on reports the attorney general's office had asked for the vote to be annulled.
The troubles send a worrying message of ongoing instability to US President Barack Obama as he completes a review of his Afghanistan war strategy this week. Consistent allegations of vote fraud in the September poll, as well as in a presidential election last year, have raised questions about the credibility of Karzai and his government as a partner at a time when US and Nato leaders are assessing their long-term commitment to Afghanistan.
Final general election results from the country's 34 provinces were released on December 1. The Independent Election Commission (IEC) has accused the attorney general's office of "irresponsible statements" and warned of a political crisis after local media reported he had called for election results to be cancelled. About 100 MPs, calling themselves The Administrative Board of the Parliament, issued a three-point declaration after gathering at the legislature to discuss their next move.
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