Afghanistan votes

<span class="lh16 fa fs12 fb"><strong>Historic day:</strong> Afghan women line up as they wait to cast their ballots inside a polling centre in Kabul on Thursday, August 20. It is just the second time in its history that Afghanistan will choose its President as it went to polls on Thursday. (AFP)</span>

Historic day: Afghan women line up as they wait to cast their ballots inside a polling centre in Kabul on Thursday, August 20. It is just the second time in its history that Afghanistan will choose its President as it went to polls on Thursday. (AFP)

<span class="lh16 fa fs12 fb"><strong>Time to exercise the right:</strong> An electoral worker instructs a burqa-clad woman at a polling centre in Kabul. It's an election under a surge in Taliban attacks and threats. The government has called for a blackout on reporting of attacks on voting day so voters are not scared away. (AFP)</span>

Time to exercise the right: An electoral worker instructs a burqa-clad woman at a polling centre in Kabul. It's an election under a surge in Taliban attacks and threats. The government has called for a blackout on reporting of attacks on voting day so voters are not scared away. (AFP)

<span class="lh16 fa fs12 fb"><strong>Taking no chances:</strong> An Afghan policeman checks a man at a security checkpoint at the entrance of a polling centre in Kabul. The poll authorities were satisfied at the large number of voter turnout in the landmark Afghanistan elections predicting that the turnout could reach around 50 per cent. (AFP)</span>

Taking no chances: An Afghan policeman checks a man at a security checkpoint at the entrance of a polling centre in Kabul. The poll authorities were satisfied at the large number of voter turnout in the landmark Afghanistan elections predicting that the turnout could reach around 50 per cent. (AFP)

<span class="lh16 fa fs12 fb"><strong>Second time lucky?</strong> Afghan President Hamid Karzai casts his vote for the provincial council at a polling station in Kabul. Karzai cast his ballot in a tense election that is expected to deliver him a second term after nearly eight years in power. He voted about half an hour after polls opened, casting his ballot in a boys' high school near his heavily fortified palace, and afterwards urging Afghans to also go to the polls. (AFP)</span>

Second time lucky? Afghan President Hamid Karzai casts his vote for the provincial council at a polling station in Kabul. Karzai cast his ballot in a tense election that is expected to deliver him a second term after nearly eight years in power. He voted about half an hour after polls opened, casting his ballot in a boys' high school near his heavily fortified palace, and afterwards urging Afghans to also go to the polls. (AFP)

<span class="lh16 fa fs12 fb"><strong>Making a mark:</strong> A burqa-clad Afghan woman displays her finger marked with indelible ink after casting her vote at a polling station in Kabul. According to the poll authorities, some 95 per cent of 6,500 polling stations opened although 312 centres remained closed. (AFP)</span>

Making a mark: A burqa-clad Afghan woman displays her finger marked with indelible ink after casting her vote at a polling station in Kabul. According to the poll authorities, some 95 per cent of 6,500 polling stations opened although 312 centres remained closed. (AFP)

<span class="lh16 fa fs12 fb"><strong>Voting for democracy:</strong> An Afghan villager casts his vote in a polling station of Lublan, in southern Afghanistan. A massive Afghan and multinational force of 300,000 went on full alert Thursday to safeguard voting and prevent the Taliban from unleashing a threatened onslaught. As polling stations opened for Afghanistan's presidential and provincial elections, small explosions and rocket attacks were reported nationwide. (AFP)</span>

Voting for democracy: An Afghan villager casts his vote in a polling station of Lublan, in southern Afghanistan. A massive Afghan and multinational force of 300,000 went on full alert Thursday to safeguard voting and prevent the Taliban from unleashing a threatened onslaught. As polling stations opened for Afghanistan's presidential and provincial elections, small explosions and rocket attacks were reported nationwide. (AFP)

<span class="lh16 fa fs12 fb"><strong>In the shadow of terror:</strong> Afghan policemen secure the site of a gunfight in Kabul as the country voted in the presidential election on Thursday. The Taliban had threatened to boycott the polls and authorities reported several small attacks across the country, but voting appeared to proceed smoothly. (AFP)</span>

In the shadow of terror: Afghan policemen secure the site of a gunfight in Kabul as the country voted in the presidential election on Thursday. The Taliban had threatened to boycott the polls and authorities reported several small attacks across the country, but voting appeared to proceed smoothly. (AFP)

<span class="lh16 fa fs12 fb"><strong>Who will be the winner?</strong> The picture shows the key faces battling it out in the historic Afghanistan elections. Karzai, who has held power since the Taliban was ousted in late 2001 by a US-led invasion, is favoured to finish first among 36 official candidates, although a late surge by former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah could force a runoff if no one wins more than 50 per cent. (NDTV)</span>

Who will be the winner? The picture shows the key faces battling it out in the historic Afghanistan elections. Karzai, who has held power since the Taliban was ousted in late 2001 by a US-led invasion, is favoured to finish first among 36 official candidates, although a late surge by former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah could force a runoff if no one wins more than 50 per cent. (NDTV)