This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/8336388.stm

The article has changed 18 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Abdullah pulls out of Afghan vote Abdullah pulls out of Afghan vote
(20 minutes later)
President Hamid Karzai's rival in the second round of the Afghan presidential election has announced in Kabul that he is withdrawing from the poll.President Hamid Karzai's rival in the second round of the Afghan presidential election has announced in Kabul that he is withdrawing from the poll.
"I will not participate in the election," Dr Abdullah told supporters, adding that his demands for a ensuring a fraud-free election had not been met. "I will not participate in the election," Dr Abdullah told supporters, saying his demands for a ensuring a fraud-free election had not been met.
But he stopped short of calling for a boycott of next Saturday's vote.
Mr Karzai rejected his demand that election officials who presided over the first round should be dismissed.Mr Karzai rejected his demand that election officials who presided over the first round should be dismissed.
Earlier, the US said a pull-out would not invalidate the vote's legitimacy.Earlier, the US said a pull-out would not invalidate the vote's legitimacy.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters in the United Arab Emirates: "We see that happen in our own country where, for whatever combination of reasons, one of the candidates decides not to go forward."Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters in the United Arab Emirates: "We see that happen in our own country where, for whatever combination of reasons, one of the candidates decides not to go forward."
KARZAI V ABDULLAH Hamid Karzai: First popularly elected president of AfghanistanOpposed Soviet occupation in 1980sCritics say he has done little to rein in corruption Abdullah Abdullah: Tajik-Pashtun, doctor by professionSenior Northern Alliance leader during Taliban ruleRemoved from Karzai's cabinet in 2006 Profile: Hamid Karzai Profile: Abdullah Abdullah Send us your commentsKARZAI V ABDULLAH Hamid Karzai: First popularly elected president of AfghanistanOpposed Soviet occupation in 1980sCritics say he has done little to rein in corruption Abdullah Abdullah: Tajik-Pashtun, doctor by professionSenior Northern Alliance leader during Taliban ruleRemoved from Karzai's cabinet in 2006 Profile: Hamid Karzai Profile: Abdullah Abdullah Send us your comments
But the BBC's Andrew North, in Kabul, says Dr Abdullah's withdrawal means this is uncharted territory, and it is unclear what will happen next. But the BBC's Andrew North, in Kabul, says Abdullah Abdullah's withdrawal means this is uncharted territory, and it is unclear what will happen next.
There has been much speculation that there could be some kind of deal which would see Dr Abdullah pull out - and possibly the emergence of a national unity government, our correspondent says. Asked by reporters if he was calling for his supporters to boycott the vote planned for next Saturday, Dr Abdullah said: "I have not made that call".
There are many in Hamid Karzai's camp who have been saying in recent days that if Dr Abdullah did pull out they would still want President Karzai to go all the way through to a scheduled vote next Saturday. There has been much speculation that there could be some kind of deal which would possibly see the emergence of a national unity government in the wake of Dr Abdullah's withdrawal, our correspondent says.
But reports quoting a senior member of the Karzai campaign team suggested it planned to go ahead with this week's presidential run-off.
"As far as we are concerned, we will go for the run-off," Moin Marastyal was quoted by Reuters as saying.
But, our correspondent adds, we know from many in the international community that there is great reluctance to see that happen.But, our correspondent adds, we know from many in the international community that there is great reluctance to see that happen.
Below thresholdBelow threshold
Hundreds of thousands of votes were discounted from August's first round of voting, which was marred by widespread allegations of fraud.Hundreds of thousands of votes were discounted from August's first round of voting, which was marred by widespread allegations of fraud.
An investigation by the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) led to Mr Karzai's share of the vote dropping to 49.67% - below the crucial 50% plus one vote threshold needed to avoid a second round.An investigation by the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) led to Mr Karzai's share of the vote dropping to 49.67% - below the crucial 50% plus one vote threshold needed to avoid a second round.
Mr Abdullah was adjudged in the end to have won about 31% of valid votes cast. Dr Abdullah was adjudged in the end to have won about 31% of valid votes cast.
The Tajik-Pashtun former eye surgeon served as foreign minister in the short-lived government headed by the Northern Alliance, and continued as "foreign minister in exile" throughout the years of Taliban rule, which ended in 2001. Emotion was clearly visible in Dr Abdullah's face as he announced his decision to pull out of the race to be Afghan leader on Sunday, our correspondent says.
The decision was given to his supporters at a meeting in a big tent in Kabul, where Afghanistan's first post-Taliban government was agreed eight years ago.
Dr Abdullah - a Tajik-Pashtun former eye surgeon - served as foreign minister in the short-lived government headed by the Northern Alliance, and continued as "foreign minister in exile" throughout the years of Taliban rule, which ended in 2001.
He continued in the role in the government that was formed by President Karzai after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, leaving it five years later.He continued in the role in the government that was formed by President Karzai after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, leaving it five years later.