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| Afghan Presidential Candidate Wants Official Vote Count Kept Secret | Afghan Presidential Candidate Wants Official Vote Count Kept Secret |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| KABUL, Afghanistan — Sultan Ahmad may well have lost his finger for nothing. | KABUL, Afghanistan — Sultan Ahmad may well have lost his finger for nothing. |
| If the presidential campaign of Abdullah Abdullah has its way, the vote totals from Afghanistan’s runoff election in June – which cost Mr. Ahmad his finger – will never be announced. | If the presidential campaign of Abdullah Abdullah has its way, the vote totals from Afghanistan’s runoff election in June – which cost Mr. Ahmad his finger – will never be announced. |
| After months of negotiations over the disputed presidential election, the final sticking point is Mr. Abdullah’s insistence that he will only agree to the formation of a national unity government, led by his rival Ashraf Ghani as president, if the election authorities do not publicly disclose their final tally of the votes. | After months of negotiations over the disputed presidential election, the final sticking point is Mr. Abdullah’s insistence that he will only agree to the formation of a national unity government, led by his rival Ashraf Ghani as president, if the election authorities do not publicly disclose their final tally of the votes. |
| Mr. Ghani is widely expected to be declared the winner of the election, after a protracted and contentious audit of all of the ballot boxes, overseen by the United Nations. That audit, which Mr. Abdullah eventually boycotted, is complete, but the country’s Independent Election Commission has still not announced the result. | Mr. Ghani is widely expected to be declared the winner of the election, after a protracted and contentious audit of all of the ballot boxes, overseen by the United Nations. That audit, which Mr. Abdullah eventually boycotted, is complete, but the country’s Independent Election Commission has still not announced the result. |
| For many of the millions of Afghans who voted in the original April 6 election, and then in the runoff election on June 14, withholding the results will be a bitter disappointment — especially for voters like Mr. Ahmad, who dipped their index fingers in indelible ink to show they had voted, knowing full well that it could rouse the ire of insurgents who warned voters to boycott the poll. | For many of the millions of Afghans who voted in the original April 6 election, and then in the runoff election on June 14, withholding the results will be a bitter disappointment — especially for voters like Mr. Ahmad, who dipped their index fingers in indelible ink to show they had voted, knowing full well that it could rouse the ire of insurgents who warned voters to boycott the poll. |
| Mr. Ahmad was among 11 men in the Koshke Kohna district of Herat Province whose fingers were amputated by the Taliban as punishment the day after the June vote. The indelible ink takes three days to wear off, to prevent repeat voting. | Mr. Ahmad was among 11 men in the Koshke Kohna district of Herat Province whose fingers were amputated by the Taliban as punishment the day after the June vote. The indelible ink takes three days to wear off, to prevent repeat voting. |
| Even if the election results are announced, Afghan voters will have good reason to be disappointed by their two risky forays to the polls this year. The new government that results from the election will be based only partly on who won it. Both sides have finished negotiating on the formation of a national unity government, a power-sharing arrangement with Mr. Ghani as president and Mr. Abdullah, or someone he nominates, in a new post of chief executive. | Even if the election results are announced, Afghan voters will have good reason to be disappointed by their two risky forays to the polls this year. The new government that results from the election will be based only partly on who won it. Both sides have finished negotiating on the formation of a national unity government, a power-sharing arrangement with Mr. Ghani as president and Mr. Abdullah, or someone he nominates, in a new post of chief executive. |
| “They are shamelessly stepping over people’s votes and cutting a deal to share power,” said an Afghan senator, Belqis Roshan, criticizing both candidates. “Those whose fingers were chopped off did not fear from any threats and bravely went to cast their votes. Now their pride is broken since their will and their votes will be compromised by this deal.” | “They are shamelessly stepping over people’s votes and cutting a deal to share power,” said an Afghan senator, Belqis Roshan, criticizing both candidates. “Those whose fingers were chopped off did not fear from any threats and bravely went to cast their votes. Now their pride is broken since their will and their votes will be compromised by this deal.” |
| The composition of the unity government was agreed upon by both candidates last Sunday and had been due to be announced Tuesday, according to Western diplomats, when Mr. Abdullah’s team insisted on the condition that the vote tally be withheld. | The composition of the unity government was agreed upon by both candidates last Sunday and had been due to be announced Tuesday, according to Western diplomats, when Mr. Abdullah’s team insisted on the condition that the vote tally be withheld. |
| A draft copy of the four-page agreement between the two campaigns was obtained by The New York Times, although the final wording of some points may have changed slightly since it was written, according to diplomats and campaign officials. The agreement gives substantial powers to the newly created position of chief executive officer, defining it as having “the functions of an executive prime minister.” | A draft copy of the four-page agreement between the two campaigns was obtained by The New York Times, although the final wording of some points may have changed slightly since it was written, according to diplomats and campaign officials. The agreement gives substantial powers to the newly created position of chief executive officer, defining it as having “the functions of an executive prime minister.” |
| The agreement also creates a council of ministers, headed by the C.E.O. and including two deputy C.E.O.’s and all cabinet ministers. “The Council of Ministers will implement the executive affairs of the government,” the agreement states. In addition, while the president would head his cabinet, which also includes the ministers, “The C.E.O. will be responsible for managing the cabinet’s implementation of government policies, and will report on progress to the president directly and in the cabinet.” | The agreement also creates a council of ministers, headed by the C.E.O. and including two deputy C.E.O.’s and all cabinet ministers. “The Council of Ministers will implement the executive affairs of the government,” the agreement states. In addition, while the president would head his cabinet, which also includes the ministers, “The C.E.O. will be responsible for managing the cabinet’s implementation of government policies, and will report on progress to the president directly and in the cabinet.” |
| Another clause calls for “parity in the selection of personnel between the president and the C.E.O. at the level of head of key security and economic institutions, and independent directorates.” | |
| In negotiations between the two campaigns, Mr. Abdullah’s side pushed for the chief executive to be given real powers, and the draft agreement appears to have granted that. | In negotiations between the two campaigns, Mr. Abdullah’s side pushed for the chief executive to be given real powers, and the draft agreement appears to have granted that. |
| But it remains to be seen how workable such a hybrid government would be. Its difficulties were noted in a catchall clause in the agreement: “The relationship between the president and the C.E.O. cannot be described solely and entirely by this agreement, but must be defined by the commitment of both sides to partnership, collegiality, collaboration, and most importantly responsibility to the people of Afghanistan.” | But it remains to be seen how workable such a hybrid government would be. Its difficulties were noted in a catchall clause in the agreement: “The relationship between the president and the C.E.O. cannot be described solely and entirely by this agreement, but must be defined by the commitment of both sides to partnership, collegiality, collaboration, and most importantly responsibility to the people of Afghanistan.” |
| More votes were recorded in the June 14 runoff than in the first election on April 6, which Mr. Abdullah won handily but without the 50 percent majority needed to avoid a runoff. Preliminary results from the runoff named Mr. Ghani the winner by a wide margin. | More votes were recorded in the June 14 runoff than in the first election on April 6, which Mr. Abdullah won handily but without the 50 percent majority needed to avoid a runoff. Preliminary results from the runoff named Mr. Ghani the winner by a wide margin. |
| The Abdullah campaign responded by accusing Mr. Ghani of industrial-scale fraud supported by the incumbent president, Hamid Karzai. At one point there were fears that the dispute could end in violence, with Mr. Abdullah’s supporters threatening to create a parallel government. | The Abdullah campaign responded by accusing Mr. Ghani of industrial-scale fraud supported by the incumbent president, Hamid Karzai. At one point there were fears that the dispute could end in violence, with Mr. Abdullah’s supporters threatening to create a parallel government. |
| Secretary of State John Kerry came to Kabul to oversee talks aimed at resolving the crisis, and came up with the solution of a national unity government, with the losing candidate assuming the post of chief executive. Neither the unity government nor the positions created for it have any basis in the Afghan Constitution or its election law. | Secretary of State John Kerry came to Kabul to oversee talks aimed at resolving the crisis, and came up with the solution of a national unity government, with the losing candidate assuming the post of chief executive. Neither the unity government nor the positions created for it have any basis in the Afghan Constitution or its election law. |
| Both candidates signed an agreement on August 8 to form the unity government, and to accept the results of the audit of the votes. But Mr. Abdullah later withdrew from the audit, insisting that it was not fair and refusing to accept it. | Both candidates signed an agreement on August 8 to form the unity government, and to accept the results of the audit of the votes. But Mr. Abdullah later withdrew from the audit, insisting that it was not fair and refusing to accept it. |
| A spokesman for Mr. Abdullah, Muslim Saadat, on Saturday confirmed that the details of a deal on a government had been agreed to by both campaigns. “The main sticking point is the announcement of the results,” Mr. Saadat said. “The results of the I.E.C. will not have legitimacy since the audit failed to separate fraudulent votes from legitimate ones.” | A spokesman for Mr. Abdullah, Muslim Saadat, on Saturday confirmed that the details of a deal on a government had been agreed to by both campaigns. “The main sticking point is the announcement of the results,” Mr. Saadat said. “The results of the I.E.C. will not have legitimacy since the audit failed to separate fraudulent votes from legitimate ones.” |
| The election commission was under pressure to announce the results, as it is required to do by law once the audit is complete. A separate body, the election complaints commission, on Thursday certified the audit results and said the Independent Election Commission would have 24 hours to appeal that decision, which it apparently did not do. | The election commission was under pressure to announce the results, as it is required to do by law once the audit is complete. A separate body, the election complaints commission, on Thursday certified the audit results and said the Independent Election Commission would have 24 hours to appeal that decision, which it apparently did not do. |
| “If they do not have any complaints and approve our ultimate decision, the I.E.C. is bound to announce the winner of the election,” said Abdul Satar Sadaat, the chairman of the election complaints commission. | “If they do not have any complaints and approve our ultimate decision, the I.E.C. is bound to announce the winner of the election,” said Abdul Satar Sadaat, the chairman of the election complaints commission. |
| Mr. Sadaat left an apparent loophole, however. “On the other hand, the current president of Afghanistan is also bound to peacefully perform the transition process as per the constitutional law of Afghanistan.” | Mr. Sadaat left an apparent loophole, however. “On the other hand, the current president of Afghanistan is also bound to peacefully perform the transition process as per the constitutional law of Afghanistan.” |