The second deputy chief executive of the National Unity Government, Mohammad Mohaqiq, and a number of politicians on Friday criticized the Independent Election Commission over problems in the parliamentary elections – held last month. 

Addressing the 11th death anniversary of victims of a deadly bombing in Baghlan province that killed nearly 80 people including Sayed Mustafa Kazemi an MP, Mohaqiq said transparency must be ensured in the upcoming presidential elections as well as in the vote counting process of the parliamentary polls. 

“If there was a doubt that the process is being interfered, the political parties will not accept the result which will be another crisis. The presidential election is also near,” said Mohaqiq. 

“What is important is the political will. Thus, I am afraid that the next elections will result in national discord that cannot be controlled,” said Mohammad Yunus Qanooni, member of Jamiat-e-Islami and former vice president. 

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) meanwhile said the presidential elections will possibly take place in April next year. 

The IEC spokesman Sayed Hafizullah Hashemi said the commission is working on preparations for presidential, provincial and district councils’ elections as well as the parliamentary elections schedule for Ghazni province. 

“The consultations on holding the four elections together or separately are ongoing. But many say based on Afghanistan situation the four elections should be held together,” said Hashemi. 

Meanwhile, Kazemi’s relatives urged government to probe the assassination of Kazemi and the other five MPs. 

“I suggest the National Unity Government officials not to convince themselves that the case belongs to the former government. It is not acceptable,” Kzemi’s brother Sayed Ali Kazemi said.   

“I urge the relatives of martyred people not to request government anymore to find out the hint that who has martyred their beloved members. Because government does not have the ability and does not want to find the perpetrators,” said Ahmad Saedi, a parliamentary elections candidate.

Kazemi – who along with at least 78 others, including schoolchildren, was killed in a suicide bombing during the inauguration of a sugar factory in northern Baghlan in 2007.

Kazemi was a participant of the Bonn Conference after the fall of the Taliban.

The remarks come as political parties are discussing their candidates for presidential election.