Final list of Afghanistan presidential candidates announced

Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) Wednesday released the final list of candidates for the country's upcoming presidential race.

"The IEC released the line-up of presidential hopefuls Wednesday afternoon. The number of candidates has risen to 11 as the Election Complaints Commission (ECC) has reinstated one disqualified runner, Mohammad Daud Sultanzoi, after adjudicating the complaints," an IEC official told Xinhua.

The list includes Abdullah Abdullah, leader of the main opposition National Coalition of Afghanistan, Abdul Rab Rassoul Sayyaf, former Jihadi leader and parliament member, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, who resigned recently as the chairman of the security transition commission, Qayoum Karzai, brother of incumbent President Hamid Karzai and others.

The third presidential and provincial councils elections, since the fall of the Taliban regime in late 2001, is slated for April 5 next year.

According to the IEC officials, more than three million people have been registered and received voter cards so far this year.

The only female candidate Khadija Ghaznawi was among the 16 disqualified hopefuls, who were removed by the IEC Oct 22 this year.

Most of the eliminated candidates were barred for failing to provide the required documents and other violations, including double nationality and lack of university degrees.