Was Afghanistan's long-delayed parliamentary vote a success or a failure?

Afghanistan's parliamentary elections this month broke with international convention, stretching the ballot out over two weekends. Now Afghans are anxious to know whether lessons from three chaotic days of polling in different parts of the country will be learned in time for next year's nail-biter presidential vote.

Kandahar was the last province but one to cast votes in an election that itself was overdue by three years.

The cause of the delay there was a security panic triggered by the assassination of General Abdul Raziq whose personal guard was infiltrated by the Taliban.

Raziq was typically portrayed in media as an uncompromising foe