A day after a new commissioner as appointed for the Independent Election Commission (IEC), the Chief Executive Abdulalh Abdullah’s office asked the electoral body to speed up the reforms process and other relevant affairs required for the upcoming parliamentary polls.

Spokesman of Chief Executive’s Office, Mujib Rahman Rahimi, said Afghanistan’s political stability depends on the activities of Independent Election Commission.

“It is the expectation of the Afghan people and the international community that they (election commission) should accelerate their work. The country’s political stability is dependent on this issue,” said Rahimi.

Presidential Palace on Saturday announced that Sayed Hafizullah Hashemi was appointed as the new election commissioner from amongst three shortlisted candidates for the IEC post.

Hashemi has worked as member of the Afghanistan’s Constitutional Loya Jirga, the grand assembly, member of the elections organizing joint office and financial and administrative official of the President’s Office.

“They will inevitably bring required changes in the commission to show their work to the people,” Yusuf Rasheed, CEO of Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan, said.

“The gap between the people and the commission should get closer, the lost trust must be restored and the impartiality and independence of the electoral bodies must be maintained,” Head of Afghan Civil Society Election Network Jandad Spinghar said.

The selection committee last week shortlisted three candidates – Sayed Hafizullah Hashemi, Awal Rahman Rodwal and Abdul Qader Zazai Watandost – from amongst 57 candidates for the post. 

This comes after Independent Election Commission is preparing for the upcoming parliamentary and district councils’ elections scheduled within the next few months.