Afghanistan’s former finance minister Ashraf Ghani heads the race to become the country’s next president, according to an early count. <br /><br />The country’s Independent Electoral Commission, said the outcome of the second round run-off was based on preliminary results. It gave Ghani more than 56 percent of the vote compared to rival Abdullah Abdullah’s near 44 percent. <br /><br />Abdullah, who topped the election’s first round, has claimed widespread fraud throughout the presidential poll. <br /><br />While not immediately available for comment on Monday, Abdullah had insisted any announcement should be delayed until all fraudulent votes were thrown out. <br /><br />The claims of vote-rigging have seen large-scale protests by Abdullah’s supporters in the Afghan capital Kabul. <br /><br />While the final result, which is not due until July 22, might still change there are fears the result could split the country along ethnic lines, and even cause a succession crisis in parts of Afghanistan, if Abdullah refuses to accept the outcome.
