Hamid Karzai optimistic about presidential poll result

Afghan President Hamid Karzai Saturday expressed optimism over the progress in talks between the presidential runners and promised the country would soon hear "good news" about the election result.

"With the announcement of the outcome of the mid-June presidential runoff election, people's suffering, pain and uncertainty would come to an end," Pajhwok Afghan News quoted Karzai as saying at a ceremony in Kabul.

Karzai added that there were good days ahead for the people of Afghanistan.

"I am preoccupied with a lot of things these days. You already know what these tasks are. I'm going now to attend another meeting with jihadi leaders and candidates," he said.

The presidential campaign teams of former finance minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and his opponent Abdullah Abdullah earlier said that both the candidates had almost reached an agreement but only minor difference over the announcement of the final election result remained. The Afghanistan Election Commission has also said the poll result would be announced soon.