Donkeys transport ballot boxes for Afghan elections

Published April 5, 2014
As Afghans prepare for presidential vote, residents of the rugged Panjshir Valley volunteer their donkeys to deliver ballot boxes to one of the country's most inaccessible areas. - Video by Reuters

In Afghanistan's rugged Panjshir Valley, this is how elections are done.

Donkeys...to deliver ballots and voting boxes to the country's most inaccessible areas.

One the eve of election day - they're choosing a new president on Saturday - some 3,000 donkeys are being deployed across the country.

These men volunteered their own donkeys for the job.

Saturday's election is the first democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan's violent history.

The Taliban have vowed to disrupt the vote with a campaign of bombing and assassinations.

The men have a long journey ahead of them.

Like their country, on its long road towards democracy.

Opinion

Who bears the cost?

Who bears the cost?

This small window of low inflation should compel a rethink of how the authorities and employers understand the average household’s

Editorial

Internet restrictions
Updated 23 Dec, 2024

Internet restrictions

Notion that Pakistan enjoys unprecedented freedom of expression difficult to reconcile with the reality of restrictions.
Bangladesh reset
23 Dec, 2024

Bangladesh reset

THE vibes were positive during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent meeting with Bangladesh interim leader Dr...
Leaving home
23 Dec, 2024

Leaving home

FROM asylum seekers to economic migrants, the continuing exodus from Pakistan shows mass disillusionment with the...
Military convictions
Updated 22 Dec, 2024

Military convictions

Pakistan’s democracy, still finding its feet, cannot afford such compromises on core democratic values.
Need for talks
22 Dec, 2024

Need for talks

FOR a long time now, the country has been in the grip of relentless political uncertainty, featuring the...
Vulnerable vaccinators
22 Dec, 2024

Vulnerable vaccinators

THE campaign to eradicate polio from Pakistan cannot succeed unless the safety of vaccinators and security personnel...