Voters' views: Afghanistan's elections

Mohabbat Atai is a locksmith, an ethnic Tajik from Kabul.

"I don't know who I'm voting for, but I'll look for a good man. I don't care if he is a jihadi or a technocrat; I just want someone who will serve the country. I don't expect big changes from the parliament. But I want a parliament to create jobs, not to destroy our homes and shops, and build roads in their place."

Next: Suhaila

Suhaila is a beggar from Kabul. She is not registered to vote.

"I have five orphans I'm taking care of, but I don't have a house. We have only God. I'm sleeping in a place with just three old cushions. For 14 years, I took refuge in Pakistan, and now I have nothing. The new government should give us something, some coal, some sugar, some tea, once or twice a week. They should give us a house. God should help us."

Next: Javed Ahmedi

Javed Ahmedi is a fruitseller, an ethnic Tajik from Kabul.

"I'm a Tajik, but I don't care if a candidate is Tajik, Pashtun, or even a Hazara. I want somebody who will serve the people, not like this government. People don't like this government. The government should build factories and create job opportunities for people. If people get jobs, they will get money and their lives will be more comfortable. This government hasn't brought anything for us. The rich people are building skyscrapers, but the poor still have the same situation."

Next: Azizullah

Azizullah is a fruitseller, a Pashtun from Kabul.

"None of the people in government have served the soil of Afghanistan; they've done nothing for us. They've only worked for their personal benefit. The first thing the new parliament should do is bring stability. The second thing they should do is build houses for people. The third thing we need is jobs. If we create jobs for people, that will stop people from committing robbery or theft."

Next: Zarghuna Hassan

Zarghuna Hassan is a journalist for Radio Zohra in Kunduz.

"People are ready to vote and they think that if we have good people who haven't committed any human rights violations, then we will have a good parliament. But there are commanders who have given up their guns, and their soldiers still have weapons. So the first priority is that we need to completely disarm the factions. The second thing is to open factories and create job opportunities for the illiterate people. The third thing we need is to bring schools and higher education for the youth."

Next: Zarmina Hassan

Zarmina Hassan is Zarghuna's sister from Kunduz, and a candidate for parliament.

"First, we need to try very hard to bring equal rights for women in this country, in economic, social, and political affairs. Second, we need schools and higher education opportunities for both men and women. And third, we need good justice. We need leaders whose hands are not stained with blood, not the commanders, not the thieves, not the criminals. I will fight these thieves, these smugglers, I will stop them all. We give our souls to God. Im not afraid of these people. I am not afraid to die."

Next: Ghulam Haider

Ghulam Haider is a shopkeeper in Kabul, an ethnic Hazara, and a Shiite. He is registered to vote.

"We are very happy and proud to be alive in such a time where any group in the country can vote for their leaders, and elect their own parliament. After the election, we will have more hope that the president will be able to do more to help make the country better. First, the parliament should improve the security nationwide. Second, bribery exists all over the world, but in Afghanistan, it is too much. This needs to be stopped. And third, we need to bring a kind of justice that all people will be dealt with equally."

Next: Wahid Atmar

Wahid Atmar is an engineering student at Kabul University.

"We don't care what ethnic group the candidate comes from, or whether the candidate is male or female. We will give our vote to those who will create educational opportunities here, people who will work hard to rebuild this country. We have capable people in this country, but not many. We hope we can find enough qualified Afghans who have gone to foreign countries to gain expertise. We are looking for people to rebuild. This is not the time for war, or for the commanders of war."

Next: Nuriya Wahidi

Nuriya Wahidi is a librarian at Kabul University.

"Whatever President Karzai has promised, he didnt keep his promise. I am a government employee, but I earn just 2000 Afghanis a month; thats $50. Can I take care of five children with that money? Should I buy groceries or should I pay the rent? What kind of hope should I have from such a situation? I want to vote for someone who will take care of the employees of the government. Twenty-seven countries have come to Afghanistan to help, and we should have everything. But we have nothing."

Next: Nasima Mohibi

Nasima Mohibi is chief of the photocopy department of Kabul University library.

"We are not so hopeful. If good and capable people become members, thats good. But if some of the candidates are put in their position by the president, then it's useless. He has promised a lot but fulfilled nothing. I don't think women parliament members will make a difference. I know the psychology of women. When they become powerful, they stop caring about other women."

Next: Naziya Alemi

Naziya Alemi is a librarian at Kabul University

"I am very hopeful. The parliament members must work hard, that's their job. First they must improve the economy and bring more development to Afghanistan. Then we must have security, for all the people and all the provinces. And the third priority should be education. All the youths of Afghanistan should be given the right to education."

Next: Susan Hamdard

Susan Hamdard is a geo-science student at Kabul University.

"We are very hopeful about this election. After years of misery, we are going to elect our parliament by ourselves. But our candidates should pay attention to our hopes. I think the first criterion for parliament candidates should be education. The person should be highly educated, and not from the jihadi groups. People don't have good memories from the jihad."

Next: Masood Nazari

Masood Nazari is an ethnic Tajik and a student of Islamic law at Kabul University. He declined to be photographed for religious reasons.

"I would like to have a candidate who is a real Afghan man. He must not be coming from Europe or other countries, and not have a background of living abroad for 10 to 20 years. That would mean he is far from the fighting and the suffering that the people of Afghanistan saw. I want candidates who didn't come from groups like the Taliban. But there are other fighters, holy fighters. We love them as leaders. They were people who saved our country not once, but twice, against the Soviet Union and Pakistani interference."

Start Over: Mohabbat Atai