Afghans vote in parliamentary elections

KABUL, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Around 9 million Afghan voters went to the polls on Saturday for parliamentary elections in the militancy-plagued country amid tight security.

In a short speech, President Mohammad Ashraf, who cast his vote in Kabul, called on the people to use their franchise in the voting.

The elections cover 32 out of the country's 34 provinces. Voting in Kandahar and Ghazni provinces has been postponed due to security reasons.

The voting, according to the election commission plan, began at 7:00 a.m. local time and would last until 4:00 p.m. local time.

More than 2,500 candidates are contesting for the 249-seat Wolesi Jirga, or lower house of the parliament, for the next five-year term.