Although Afghanistan's presidential election has been pushed back, the country's interior minister says he's confident that Afghans will be able to vote without worrying about their safety.
Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar made the comment after the country's Independent Election Commission said voting day was being changed from late April to Aug. 20.
"It is our responsibility to provide an environment in which not only free and fair but also secure elections can be held," Atmar told Â鶹´«Ã½ in Kandahar.
The election marks only the second time Afghans will participate in a democratic process to choose their president.
Atmar said the turnout for voter registration has been impressive, despite security concerns.
"The numbers are increasing on a daily basis with over 35 per cent of them women," he said. "It tells us that there's a great enthusiasm among the Afghan men and women to participate in the election."
He said it also shows that the security setup is working.
"If it works for the voter registration it will definitely work for the election itself."
Karzai's term
Afghan President Hamid Karzai's five-year term officially expires May 22 and he is expected to seek re-election.
Although he has several politicians preparing to run against him, none are expected to present much of a challenge.
Azizullah Lodin, the head of Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission, said Thursday that lawmakers will make provisions to avoid a power vacuum during the interim.
"We have had security problems, budgetary problems and technical problems," Lodin said.
He added that officials don't have enough time to organize an April election, which would involve declaring candidates, printing ballots, and distributing them across the country.
Lodin also said the election commission is far short of the $223 million needed to hold the vote.
Atmar said an interim government was not in the works for when Karzai's term officially expires.
"It will be very bizarre for me to try to put together a government for another two months or three months. The Afghan people just need free and fair elections, and they know what is practical," Atmar said.
"A delay of a couple of weeks or months would not be a big issue for them, as long as they are able to participate in the new elections and to exercise their right."
Meanwhile, NATO welcomed the delay Thursday, saying it provides enough time to allow international forces to get the security situation under control.
"We have always said it is important that elections should be held this year and we are pleased that the decision has now been taken," NATO spokesman James Appathurai told Reuters.
"The date chosen will give us as NATO sufficient time to properly prepare to support the Afghan government in ensuring enough security for the elections to go forward."
In 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama has promised a troop surge of up to 30,000 new American forces for Afghanistan.
A large slice of the American forces will be sent to the south, which is the most violent region in Afghanistan.
Currently, there are about 55,000 NATO troops in the country.
With files from The Associated Press
