Celebrities spice up Afghan vote focus 09/17/2010

Celebrities spice up Afghan vote

focus

09/17/2010
KABUL — Robina Jalali is a former Olympic sprinter, Zabihullah Jawanmard a pop legend known as the “Elvis of Afghanistan” and Farida Tarana the young woman who took a TV singing competition by storm.

They are among the colourful cast of characters standing in Saturday’s parliamentary election, the second since the autocratic Taliban were forced from power in the 2001 US-led invasion.

Afghans will go to the polls to choose 249 members of the lower house of parliament, the Wolesi Jirga.

More than 2,500 candidates are standing, despite fears the Taliban might make good on threats to disrupt the ballot with violence.

If candidates such as Jalali, Jawanmard and Tarana win seats, they will bring a touch of glamor and a different approach to politics in an impoverished state long ruled according to age-old tribal traditions..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100917com7.html