Afghanistan's election commission has announced a final list of 11 candidates for the April 5 presidential vote.
Abdul Rahman Hotak, the deputy chief of the Independent Election Commission, said on November 20 that a previously disqualified candidate, Daud Sultanzoi, was put back on the list.
Sultanzoi is a former parliament deputy from Ghazni Province. The previous list of 10 candidates had been approved in October.
They are former Foreign Ministers Abdullah Abdullah and Zalmay Rasul; former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani; former senior presidential adviser Hidayat Amin Arsala; former Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak; President Hamid Karzai's brother, Qayum Karzai; Afghan Salafi leader Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf; former Governor Gul Afghan; Islamist leader Qutbuddin Hilal; and former royal family member Sardar Nadir Naeem.
Hotak added that some 2,700 candidates -- including 308 women -- had also been approved for provincial elections to be held in April.
He said the vetting of candidates had been done "honestly," "independently," and "without accepting any pressure on us."
President Hamid Karzai -- who has been in office since 2001 -- is constitutionally banned from running for a third term.
Abdul Rahman Hotak, the deputy chief of the Independent Election Commission, said on November 20 that a previously disqualified candidate, Daud Sultanzoi, was put back on the list.
Sultanzoi is a former parliament deputy from Ghazni Province. The previous list of 10 candidates had been approved in October.
They are former Foreign Ministers Abdullah Abdullah and Zalmay Rasul; former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani; former senior presidential adviser Hidayat Amin Arsala; former Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak; President Hamid Karzai's brother, Qayum Karzai; Afghan Salafi leader Abdul Rab Rasul Sayyaf; former Governor Gul Afghan; Islamist leader Qutbuddin Hilal; and former royal family member Sardar Nadir Naeem.
Hotak added that some 2,700 candidates -- including 308 women -- had also been approved for provincial elections to be held in April.
He said the vetting of candidates had been done "honestly," "independently," and "without accepting any pressure on us."
President Hamid Karzai -- who has been in office since 2001 -- is constitutionally banned from running for a third term.