Karzai wins Afghan presidential poll, aides and chief rival say

From AFP

Hamid Karzai has won outright victory in Afghanistan's first presidential election according to preliminary results, the interim leader's supporters and chief rival said.

Karzai, the urbane 46-year-old Pashtun tribal chief who has led Afghanistan with strong US backing for nearly three years, had the "secure majority of 50 percent plus one", presidential aide Khaleeq Ahmad told AFP.

"We are very delighted that we have a secure majority now. And we will wait to celebrate until 100 percent of the vote has been counted," Ahmad said. "We will celebrate when the results are officially announced and not before that."

As soon as Karzai's tally passed four million ballots, of an estimated eight million cast, at around 4:00pm (1130 GMT), Karzai's campaign spokesman Hamid Elmi told AFP: "We have a simple majority. This is exactly what we want."

Karzai's chief rival, Yunus Qanooni, was swift to acknowledge Karzai's majority, 15 days after the landmark ballot drew millions across the rugged land to vote for the first time in their lives.

Great news and good luck to a democratic Afghanistan!
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