![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SOCCISVJYQXVVKM2AYWERB4LEI.jpg?smart=true&auth=f3106b34651d8db34a7e01a2f3fc076ed78d01cc03a9fcb39e4d5cb2f4cefa60&width=400&height=225)
Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani arrives to cast his vote in the presidential election in Kabul. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KF6LB7ORFS6FB3RVICOC5RN6FA.jpg?smart=true&auth=ccaabf086fa941713579bd65d3d23a5724a69fb951611729b7092866b1d30a0f&width=400&height=225)
Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani (C) casts his vote at a polling station during the presidential elections, in Kabul, Afghanistan EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KY3ECUUOKHE3Y7MMZADX7G2XBM.jpg?smart=true&auth=58110f07ff057894697f9cbad986c966f5f47a9a08d7bffafe8e317bca86fabe&width=400&height=225)
Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah casts his vote at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DBQQXSL6JZXTQI2GLMZSBYX3A4.jpg?smart=true&auth=74f6ede1de004bfa0b74e01c46cf4a2d3ff53d356bf1bbdaccba3578d25e415b&width=400&height=225)
A ballot paper is seen on the table at a polling station at Amani high school, near the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EWSGURJB3WZCDBU2GEPQZ2JFPU.jpg?smart=true&auth=3f1c8349dce9c2589b39a7a7438be663800d79e9e4f2bd890db9a2324c2432f2&width=400&height=225)
Former chief of National Directorate of Security, Mohammed Masoom Stanekzai, right, poses for a picture, taken by an election official, before casting his vote during the presidential elections in Kabul, Afghanistan. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DMBH2KNPGKFBWXPLXWQJXM7RLE.jpg?smart=true&auth=77a0a67ae00ae736e2bbae6c6b937d574007e13a93a5c5a559d2c171b72413b4&width=400&height=225)
An Afghan man casts his ballot during the presidential elections, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NNWDYEAWL2XPDNTR2P4DX5USEQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=455a39acd6f52b3b2bced54820a6c9ce367d57092e54ab8e32b2a86ad7c9f88a&width=400&height=225)
An Afghan disabled voter arrives at a polling station during the presidential elections, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P5I6OID7Y2MHUXFYST37ZP542M.jpg?smart=true&auth=1a745800a4f4eb04f488a247760e8ebd7aa1e8ec908bd3937ec764b6a0e51ab9&width=400&height=225)
An Afghan man casts his ballot during the presidential elections, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RVX2YB43BGW36R765THAOLC2NA.jpg?smart=true&auth=e81c226fd56f8e0b4465408576e8150373bb5513fbaa2134fcb0ec29bca5810f&width=400&height=225)
An Independent Election Commission (IEC) official helps a woman to cast her vote at a polling station in Herat. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XGSJUI652IDGXO5YLT7GBKJCX4.jpg?smart=true&auth=a0fcec8d9d6178619583af7d5ac74a9d041ddf68feca7a4300dac332d2b89def&width=400&height=225)
Men queue to cast their vote at a polling station in Mazar-i-Sharif on September 28, 2019. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6QGLEZYY2STYUN4UTKMCVJQ7RU.jpg?smart=true&auth=584ac89d4ee424564cc0c3006685f169c2291b8184a0ee70d2194798fabd6c0b&width=400&height=225)
Afghan voters wait to cast their ballot during the presidential elections in Herat, Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UF4JET25PSTX2DE7FF5YWNJALY.jpg?smart=true&auth=6d825b1489d7053022db593d91e3938f32c54d78584501e8688d5802fd4e7f07&width=400&height=225)
An Afghan woman shows her inked finger after she cast her ballot during the presidential elections in Herat, Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SOCCISVJYQXVVKM2AYWERB4LEI.jpg?smart=true&auth=f3106b34651d8db34a7e01a2f3fc076ed78d01cc03a9fcb39e4d5cb2f4cefa60&width=400&height=225)
Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani arrives to cast his vote in the presidential election in Kabul. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KF6LB7ORFS6FB3RVICOC5RN6FA.jpg?smart=true&auth=ccaabf086fa941713579bd65d3d23a5724a69fb951611729b7092866b1d30a0f&width=400&height=225)
Afghanistan president Ashraf Ghani (C) casts his vote at a polling station during the presidential elections, in Kabul, Afghanistan EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KY3ECUUOKHE3Y7MMZADX7G2XBM.jpg?smart=true&auth=58110f07ff057894697f9cbad986c966f5f47a9a08d7bffafe8e317bca86fabe&width=400&height=225)
Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah casts his vote at a polling station in Kabul, Afghanistan. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DBQQXSL6JZXTQI2GLMZSBYX3A4.jpg?smart=true&auth=74f6ede1de004bfa0b74e01c46cf4a2d3ff53d356bf1bbdaccba3578d25e415b&width=400&height=225)
A ballot paper is seen on the table at a polling station at Amani high school, near the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EWSGURJB3WZCDBU2GEPQZ2JFPU.jpg?smart=true&auth=3f1c8349dce9c2589b39a7a7438be663800d79e9e4f2bd890db9a2324c2432f2&width=400&height=225)
Former chief of National Directorate of Security, Mohammed Masoom Stanekzai, right, poses for a picture, taken by an election official, before casting his vote during the presidential elections in Kabul, Afghanistan. AP Photo
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/DMBH2KNPGKFBWXPLXWQJXM7RLE.jpg?smart=true&auth=77a0a67ae00ae736e2bbae6c6b937d574007e13a93a5c5a559d2c171b72413b4&width=400&height=225)
An Afghan man casts his ballot during the presidential elections, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NNWDYEAWL2XPDNTR2P4DX5USEQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=455a39acd6f52b3b2bced54820a6c9ce367d57092e54ab8e32b2a86ad7c9f88a&width=400&height=225)
An Afghan disabled voter arrives at a polling station during the presidential elections, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/P5I6OID7Y2MHUXFYST37ZP542M.jpg?smart=true&auth=1a745800a4f4eb04f488a247760e8ebd7aa1e8ec908bd3937ec764b6a0e51ab9&width=400&height=225)
An Afghan man casts his ballot during the presidential elections, in Jalalabad, Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RVX2YB43BGW36R765THAOLC2NA.jpg?smart=true&auth=e81c226fd56f8e0b4465408576e8150373bb5513fbaa2134fcb0ec29bca5810f&width=400&height=225)
An Independent Election Commission (IEC) official helps a woman to cast her vote at a polling station in Herat. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XGSJUI652IDGXO5YLT7GBKJCX4.jpg?smart=true&auth=a0fcec8d9d6178619583af7d5ac74a9d041ddf68feca7a4300dac332d2b89def&width=400&height=225)
Men queue to cast their vote at a polling station in Mazar-i-Sharif on September 28, 2019. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6QGLEZYY2STYUN4UTKMCVJQ7RU.jpg?smart=true&auth=584ac89d4ee424564cc0c3006685f169c2291b8184a0ee70d2194798fabd6c0b&width=400&height=225)
Afghan voters wait to cast their ballot during the presidential elections in Herat, Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UF4JET25PSTX2DE7FF5YWNJALY.jpg?smart=true&auth=6d825b1489d7053022db593d91e3938f32c54d78584501e8688d5802fd4e7f07&width=400&height=225)
An Afghan woman shows her inked finger after she cast her ballot during the presidential elections in Herat, Afghanistan. EPA
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SOCCISVJYQXVVKM2AYWERB4LEI.jpg?smart=true&auth=f3106b34651d8db34a7e01a2f3fc076ed78d01cc03a9fcb39e4d5cb2f4cefa60&width=400&height=225)
Afghan presidential candidate Ashraf Ghani arrives to cast his vote in the presidential election in Kabul. Reuters
Afghan elections: Ashraf Ghani set for victory after preliminary results
Chances of a run-off look slim after Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah received about 40 per cent of votes cast
Ruchi Kumar
Hikmat Noori
22 December, 2019
- Listen In English
- Listen In Arabic