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Abdullah pulls out of Afghan vote | Abdullah pulls out of Afghan vote |
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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, saying his demands for ensuring a fraud-free election had not been met. | |
But he stopped short of calling for a boycott of next Saturday's vote. | 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 comments | 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 comments |
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. | 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. |
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". | 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 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. | 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. | 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. | "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 threshold | Below 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. |
Dr 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. |
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. | 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. | 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. | 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. |