The Independent Election Commission (IEC) on Sunday said it has launched an investigation into allegations against Obaidullah Niazi, the acting IEC field operation officer for Kabul, who has been accused of taking bribe from candidates.

While electoral monitoring groups and observes said Niazi has already been arrested by the National Directorate of Security (NDS) on charges of bribery, the election commission officials said security agencies so far have not informed the election management body about Niazi’s fate.

The IEC deputy spokesman Sayed Zabiullah Sadat said that Niazi has not come to his office since last Wednesday.

Last month, the IEC decided to replace Ezmarai Qalamyar, head of IEC’s site office for Ghazni province, with Obaidullah Niazi who at the time was serving as head of the IEC office in the eastern province of Kunar.

In this program, host Masoud Malik discusses the topic with following guests: 

Mohammad Arif Sarwari, head of the National Directorate of Security’s office for elections
Nazari Paryani, journalist
Zabiullah Sadat, IEC deputy spokesman
Amanullah Sharifi, parliamentary candidate from Baghlan province