Pak congratulates Afghanistan on successful polls

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today congratulated Afghanistan for holding successful Presidential elections and said he hoped the historic polls will help in bringing harmony in the war-torn country.
Making decisions through ballot boxes by the Afghan people reflects their determination and keen interest for adopting democratic culture, Sharif said in a statement.
Participation in the democratic process by the Afghan people would play a significant role to bring peace and stability in the region, he said.
Afghanistan is a brotherly country of Pakistan, he said, adding Pakistan would not only help and support Kabul in strengthening democracy but would also work in collaboration with the new leadership there to bring peace and tranquility in the region.

The premier hoped that a peaceful transfer of power takes place in Kabul just as was done in Pakistan last year. He also wished democracy flourishes in the country as this election would prove as a historic moment for the Afghan people in their democratic journey.
Sharif also hoped the elections will be instrumental in creating unity and harmony among the war-torn people, congratulating President Hamid Karzai and the people of Afghanistan on successfully holding and completing the electioneering process.

The statement came a day after Afghans in large numbers exercised their franchise defying the Taliban threat to choose a successor to Karzai in the country's first democratic transfer of power as US-led forces end their 13-year war.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, too, congratulated Afghanistan over yesterday's polls.
They (Afghans) braved the security threat and inclement weather and turned up in millions to exercise their democratic right to choose the future leadership, the Ministry said.
The front-runners to succeed Karzai are former foreign minister Zalmai Rassoul, Abdullah Abdullah - runner up in the 2009 election - and former World Bank academic Ashraf Ghani.
If no candidate wins over 50 per cent of the votes in the first round, preliminary results for which will be announced on April 24, a run-off is scheduled for late May.