Meeting in Kabul to discuss further over holding a transparent presidential election, a large number of political parties and coalitions warned the Afghan government not to disregard their role in the upcoming elections.
While the Afghan president has been emphasising that his country's elections will be held on due date – currently planned as 5th of April, 2014 – the parties and coalitions expressed fear of possibilities of the elections not being held, suggesting that the event is the only solution to problems Afghans are currently experiencing.
"The government's been recently trying – by different excuses – to reflect the role of political parties as weak, but we warn the government that the elections are the only resolution to bring the issues to an end," said Golestan Moarej, deputy head of National Peace and Islamic Party of the Tribes of Afghanistan.
While calling on the parliament for not causing further delay to approval of the electoral law, the parties marked out that it's essential for the Afghan government to hold elections based on the constitution.
"The government should hold future presidential elections based on the country's constitution. We will as well put pressure on the government so that it will have a strong will for holding the elections," said Nesar Ahmad Salimi, deputy head of National United Party.
Among the participants of the Saturday meeting, a number of party members stated that the recent decision by Justice Ministry to reopen site offices for the parties is not practical and that the only reason why the offices are shut down is insecurity.
"The government's decision to open the branches of parties in 20 provinces of the country is impractical and illogical because, there is no security in most areas of the country. How can we open regional offices?" said Fazulrrahman Oria, spokesman of National Coalition.
Another party member described the decision as a way to put boundaries over activities of the parties.
"The decision by the Ministry of Justice is dictatorial and the government seeks to limit the parties' activities," said Shir Gol, head of People's Party.
The Ministry of Justice said early April that the parties and coalitions, that are legally registered in the ministry, should have branches in 20 provinces or their licences will be confiscated.
The presidential election is seen as a pivotal event for Afghanistan's near future as the political transition coincides with the security transition. A fair and transparent poll is crucial to the political transition to go smoothly.