A number of people in Paktika, like Afghans in other provinces, know only two or three of the 41 presidential candidates.

One reason is that some new faces have entered the election arena and their campaigns are mostly restricted to Kabul.

Located in the southeastern zone of the country, Paktika is a vast semi-mountainous province with an area of 19,500 square kilometers. It borders Ghazni, Paktia, Khost and Zabul provinces.

Paktika also shares a 350-kilometre border with the Waziristan tribal region and Balochistan province of neighbouring Pakistan. The capital of the province is Sharan. It has 18 official and another four unofficial districts.

Five residents of the province and two nomadic Konchis recently spoke to Pajhwok about the upcoming presidential elections and a handful of candidates they knew.

Problem in recognising candidates Fifty-year-old Shams Kochai is among the residents of Paktika province who knows only President Hamid Karzai and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai among the 41 presidential candidates. He said he knew the two people only because one is president of the country and the other was his clansman.

All the rest of candidates are new for him and he did not know anything about their identity.

Rahmatullah, resident of Sraroza district, said he did not know any of the candidates except Hamid Karzai. Asked why he does not know them, Rahmatullah replied none of them had come to Paktika, and he had no information about them.

Mullah Muhammad Nabi, who is a resident of Sharan and prayer leader at a mosque in a village, knows Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and Ramzan Bashardost. He said Bashardost had visited his mosque and that was why he knew him. He has heard the name of Abdullah.

Another Sharan resident, Rozuddin, who graduated from the Medical University in Kabul and presently runs a clinic in the provincial capital, knows several of the candidates. He named Ramzan Bashardost, Abdullah Abdullah, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, Mirwais Yasini and Shah Nawaz Tanai besides the incumbent president. To the question why he does not know the rest of the hopefuls, he said: “Because all of them are new and their election campaigns are restricted only to hotels in Kabul.

” Khamai, 45, a resident of Char Baran district and a driver by profession, knows Dr. Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani just because they served as ministers in the past. Besides, he knows Karzai who is the president.

However, among women, 55-year-old Gul Bakhta Kochai knows Hamid Karzai alone. Her son was a member of the Taliban movement during their rule and disappeared after the overthrow of their regime. She will vote for a candidate who is able to inform her about her missing son. However, it is difficult for her to make a choice, because she does not know any of the candidates except Karzai.

Twenty-eight-year-old Zeenat, resident of Char Bara district, has little information about the poll contestants. She has only seen the photographs of President Karzai and heard the names of others on radio. Abdullah Srozawal

As per the final list of candidates issued by Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (AIEC), 48 people are in the run for the nine seats on the Logar Provincial Council.Three of the nine members are women.

Identifying security as their biggest concern, residents of the central Logar province want the incoming president to deal effectively with the law and order problem.

The six-district province, a gateway to southern Afghanistan just 60 kilometres south of Kabul, suffers violent incidents almost on a daily basis. Roadside bomb blasts, rocket attacks, clashes, imprecise operations, arrests and killings murders have made life miserable for the people.

Despite threats to their lives, a number of people intend to participate in the upcoming presidential and provincial council elections.

Although residents have a variety of demands, they are unanimous in urging the government to bring security to the province and set in motion a substantive process of reconciliation with insurgents.

PAN conducted voter interviews in three districts including the provincial capital of the central Logar province, where the same queries were put to nine residents of different backgrounds. These interviews were conducted in the first week of July.

 Haji Sardar: Growing chaos is top issue

Haji Sardar Agha, belonging to provincial capital Pul-i-Alam, believes the security situation was better five years ago. "With security deteriorating, our lives have obviously changed for the worse," the 50-year-old complains.

Asked what would be his only demand from the next president, he replies: "He should focus on improved security." To him, administrative corruption is the second most serious issue that needs to be resolved on a war footing.

In response to the query why he wants to vote, the man argues that's one way of changing the existing system. However, he views growing chaos as a big question mark hanging over the holding of polls.

Illiterate housewife: No faith in president or elections Like Agha,

Zarina also grumbles her life is bitterer today. "We're better off five years ago. My children are currently too scared to live in their home," adds the housewife from Kharwar district. Illiterate as she is, the woman knows no presidential candidate other than the incumbent leader, Hamid Karzai. But she doesn't mince her words in expressing her disenchantment with the present president.

Totally disappointed with how things stand, Zarina alleges Afghanistan is being ruled by outsiders. "Foreigners have come here to fight their wars and kill us," she charges. The woman claims the president is going to be elected by foreign powers. And that's why she has no belief in the elections.

In reply to the query what the government has given her, the 45-year-old bluntly says: "Insecurity alone." Reconciliation with Taliban militants and the expulsion of foreign troops from the country are Zarina's twin demands from the incoming president.

12th grader: Life is better now

However, a 12th grader acknowledges there has been a marked improvement in her life. "Children are going to school and the economy has picked up," reasons Ezad Fana.

The 18-year-old dweller of Kolengar, who knows only five of the 41 presidential candidates, will vote for someone not involved in war crimes and believing in women's rights.

Not fully sure of poll security and transparency, the student will exercise her franchise to prove that women have the right to vote and elect a president of their choice.

The present government has constructed schools for girls to ameliorate their lot, continues Fana, who stresses the need for giving females their due rights, dialogue with fighters and restoration of security.

 Village resident: Security, schools and women’s rights

Echoing her views, another woman from Muhammad Agha district praises the government for the positive steps it has taken in recent years. But lawlessness and a lack of schools in her village give Maryam the cause for concern.

A resident of Kutubkhel village, she will back a candidate paying adequate attention to boosting security, building more schools and giving the long-suffering women their rights.

According to her, the construction of roads and execution of power supply schemes in the district are some of the main achievements of the Karzai administration.

Maryam opines the elections scheduled for August 20 will be shorn of credibility if women stay away from the key democratic exercise in post-Taliban Afghanistan.

Driver: Provincial councils worth voting for Nonetheless,

Muhammad Haroon is disillusioned with the government's track record. The driver from Khushi district complains he is worse off today than he was five years back.

The 32-year-old, who lists insecurity and unemployment as two of the major issues, will abstain from voting in the presidential poll.

However, he will take part in the provincial council elections. "The president is not picked in accordance with our choice. But I believe provincial council candidates are elected on the basis of our votes."

 Education official: Girls’ schools needed On the other hand,

Syed Naqibullah, 36, insists their income has gone up as a result of the jobs he and his two brothers have found.

The Education Department official plans to cast his vote if the security situation permits him.

In addition to uncertainty, the man calls the dearth of schools -- particularly girls' schools -- the principal problem facing his native Kharwar district.

Businessman: Expel the US troops Similarly,

Muhammad Zaman also admits a positive change has come about in his life over the last five years. Importantly, he links the improvement to his personal business (shopkeeping) and not to any governmental programme.

Convinced the new president is going to be chosen by the United States, the Porak inhabitant will keep aloof from the polls. He describes irresponsible US-led search operations, ubiquitous mayhem and lousy roads as major problems of his area.

The expulsion of Americans will be Zaman's first and foremost demand from the next president. "Nothing" is his brusque answer to the question what the government has done for the uplift of his village.

Saudi labourer: Government failed to help Equally despondent is Saifullah Zadran from Kharwar district.

The government has miserably failed to make any difference to his drab existence, retorts the young man, who works in Saudi Arabia to eke out a living for his family.

Because of the inadequate road network, he takes one hour travelling on foot from his backward village to the city centre. The 26-year-old will cast his vote only if a polling station is set up close to his village.

He has not yet taken any decision on which contestant he will support at the polls. What is settled is that Zadran's vote will go to a contender of his father's choosing.

RTA worker: Positive outlook

Radio and Television Authority (RTA) employee Shaheer says his candidate should be a cosmopolitan, tolerant and peace-loving personality.

The graduate, citing fewer schools as one of the factors behind the dismally low literacy rate in the province, adds his nephews are forced to go to far-off schools.

"The election process will be credible, because the poll panel is our own," said the government servant, who is confident the new leader will reform his/her cabinet besides paying greater heed to promoting education and strengthening peace.

He is happy with the construction of roads and bridges in his village, where power supply schemes have also been implemented under the National Solidarity Programme (NSP).

As part of its election coverage plan, Pajhwok Afghan News is interviewing residents of all 34 provinces.

Members of different age groups will be asked basic questions, such as whether they will participate in the August 20 presidential and provincial council polls, what they want the government to do and what their objections to official policies are.

PAN conducted voter interviews in four districts including the provincial capital of the western province, where the same queries were put to seven residents of different backgrounds. Herat province, bordering Iran, is the only industrialised area of Afghanistan.

Over the last seven years, about 300 factories have been set up – most of them in Herat Industrial Park, according to Toryalay Ghausi, deputy head of the provincial association of industrialists. These interviews were conducted in the first week of July.

An industrial manager: Great improvements, but too much corruption

 One respondent is Ghulam Hussain, 32, a resident of the 7th police district in Herat City. A deputy director at the Haq Dost Cable Company, he is determined to exercise his voting right.

"I will definitely vote to play my role in the government-making process," he says. "Over the last seven years or so, the overall situation has greatly improved in Afghanistan, particularly in Herat, where hundreds of industrial units have been established.

"A huge investment has been made in the province, largely because of the policies of the democratically elected civilian government," he thinks.

Hussein refers to the import of electricity from Iran and Turkmenistan to power the factories. In the same breath, however, he points to the Karzai administration's weaknesses including widespread corruption in government departments and investor insecurity.

This failure, according to him, is prompting entrepreneurs to rethink their willingness to invest more in the province.

Construction worker: Youth unemployment is core problem

Fazal Ahmed, 25, works for a construction company.Belonging to Marawa village of Pashtun Zarghun district, he is still reluctant whether or not to take part in the elections. He argues although many countries have their presence in Afghanistan, most of the youths remain unemployed.

He likens the present employment landscape to that witnessed during the communist regime. Even today, he believes, disenchanted youths continue to vote with their feet -- going to neighbouring countries in search of jobs.

Given an opportunity, Ahmed will ask President Hamid Karzai to create jobs for the unemployed and thereby help them eke out a descent living.

 He is confident this will help the government a great deal in arresting the ever-soaring crime rate and stepping up the reconstruction effort.

 Technical student: Undecided and dissatisfied

Many dwellers of this industrial hub are yet to decide which candidates they will vote for.

For example, technical institute student Elyas (20) has not yet made up his mind about who he will support in the presidential poll.

 Somewhat satisfied with the incumbent government's performance, he says administrative corruption is reversing the progress made so far.

Gravely concern at the deteriorating security situation, the student will vote despite his reservations about election transparency.

He is of the opinion the elections will help promote a democratic culture in the country, something so important to posterity.

Returnee from Iran: Promises not kept

Haji Muhammad, living in the Shindand city centre, will vote for a candidate with strong ideas.

The returnee from Iran wants the future president to eradicate graft and bring security to the impoverished country.

He underlines respect for all political beliefs and philosophies. A contender endowed with initiative, drive, merit and governance skills should be elected to the top office, he maintains.

He accuses the present government of failing to keep its promises held out to the people of Shindand, where no worthwhile reconstruction schemes have been executed hitherto.

 Nomad: Foreign forces create conflict

But a 38-year-old nomad thinks elections make no sense and will bring no benefit to Afghanistan in the presence of foreign forces.

Ghulam Rasul, who brought his animals from Gulran district to Herat City for sale, fears rigging in the polls. Whoever is backed by international troops will win the ballot, he alleges.

The foreign military presence is in conflict with the Afghan culture and religion, reasons the man, who slams the government for financial corruption, price hike and ubiquitous insecurity. But he would not say how the situation could be rectified if he stays away from voting.

 Housewife: Progress in utilities

Housewife Surayya views elections as the best way of turning around the current dismal situation.

The third police district dweller is certain that a 100 percent voter turnout will automatically translate into complete security and development of Afghanistan. But she doesn't explain how.

The 26-year-old extols the Karzai administration for supplying uninterrupted power and potable water to the city. She cites the massive investment, reconstruction of roads and creation of recreational areas as achievements of the incumbent government.

 However, the housewife rails against the rulers for unchecked corruption and the culture of expediency and venality.

 Schoolteacher: Education in a state of neglect

Bahari Fakoori, a teacher at a girls' high school in Ghoryan district, says her pupils have to study in tents under the scorching summer sun.

The students are also facing a shortage of books. She urges the next president to focus on solving the problems facing schools across Afghanistan.