Dostum Threatens ‘Parallel Govt’ if Election Results are Rigged

“If a fraudulent government is created, what we will do is announce a similar government with the Stability and Convergence team there,” added Dostum.

First Vice President Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum has threatened to form a “parallel government” under the leadership of Abdullah Abdullah, the chief executive of the National Unity Government, if the election commission “announces fraudulent results of the presidential elections,” which were held on September 28, 2019.

Speaking at a gathering in the northern province of Jawzjan on Thursday, Dostum strongly criticized the constant delays that have encumbered the election process, and said that he will never accept a government that is based on “fraud.”

“If your votes are disregarded because of fraud---if there is a move to make deals with our votes for money or through intimidation---we will not accept the results, because fraudulent, even if a sword or a knife is put on my neck or even I go to be hanged, we will not accept fraudulent results of elections,” Dostum told a crowd of supporters in Sheberghan city, the center of Jawzajn province.

Dostum had aligned with the Stability and Convergence campaign team in the elections and is running as a partner to Abdullah Abdullah.

“If a fraudulent government is created, what we will do is announce a similar government with the Stability and Convergence team there,” added Dostum.

In reaction to Dostum’s comments, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) said that the commission will ensure the transparency of the elections.

“The implementation of the decision of the Independent Election Commission is among the duties of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,” said Mirza Mohammad Haqparast, an IEC spokesman.

Residents called on the IEC to announce the results.

“If they want to serve the people of Afghanistan, then they should take a decision as soon as possible,” said a resident of Kabul, Mohammad Aslam.

“The entire fate of the people will be decided by the election process,” said Kabul resident, Agha Jan.

The Afghan presidential elections were held on September 28, 2019.

On December 22, the IEC announced the preliminary results of the elections.

Based on the preliminary results, President Ashraf Ghani earned 923,868 votes and 50.64% of the total vote, thus putting him in first place.

Abdullah Abdullah followed with 720,990 votes and 39.52%.

Abdullah, however, rejected the results.