(20 Aug 2009) SHOTLIST
Kabul
1. Pan of voters queuing outside polling station
2. Various of voters being searched at entrance to polling station
3. Wide interior of polling centre
4. Various of women in female queue
5. Various of woman in burqua voting
6. SOUNDBITE (Dari) Vox pop, Zia Gul, female voter:
"We want the next President to stop the killing of innocent people and to find jobs for the people, and bring peace. My feeling is I'll vote for a good man who brings justice. I will vote for a Muslim man, I'm very happy".
7. Wide of polling station
8. Various of men voting
9. Close up of man
10. Various of soldiers voting at different polling station
Kabul
11. Wide of Kabul street
12. Wide of Afghan police at road block
13. Low shot of Afghan police officer holding automatic weapon
14. Afghan police at road block as cars drive through
15. Various of Afghan police searching car passengers and vehicle
16. Close-up of Afghan police officer
17. Low shot of cars driving past with gun in shot
Kandahar
18. Various of polling station, people queuing
19. Security checking people in queue
20. Various of interior of polling station, people queuing holding ID cards
21. Tilt up of man voting
22. Polling station officer stamping ballot paper
23. Voter Abdullah Jan casting vote
24. SOUNDBITE (Pashtu) Vox pop, Abdullah Jan, Kandahar voter
"This is the duty of all Afghans. They can vote for their president and choose their president today. And then he can perform his duty perfectly."
25. Governor of Kandahar Tooryalai Wesa casting his vote
26. SOUNDBITE (English) Tooryalai Wesa, Kandahar governor
"Quite a while, waiting for this day. And since I was not in the country in the last election and today being here, I'm very happy to cast my first vote here."
27. Wide of Kandahar security on road
28. Soldier standing on vehicle
29. Afghan National Army soldier checking documents
30. Afghan National Army pick up truck, soldier standing
STORYLINE
Afghans voted under the shadow of Taliban threats of violence on Thursday to choose their next president for a nation plagued by armed insurgency, drugs, corruption and a feeble government nearly eight years after the U.S.-led invasion.
Scattered reports of minor violence have trickled in from around the country.
Fearing that violence may dampen turnout on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry asked news organisations to avoid "broadcasting any incidence of violence" during voting hours.
Because of that order, Afghan officials are reluctant to confirm violence reports.
Turnout, particularly in the south, will be key to the vote's success - the country's second direct presidential election. Taliban militants have pledged to disrupt the vote and circulated threats that those who cast ballots will be punished.
Early indications in Kabul pointed to a low initial turnout, perhaps as people assessed whether casting ballots was safe.
Hamid Karzai, who has held power since the Taliban was ousted eight years ago, 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 percent.
An Associated Press reporter who visited six polling centres in the capital said he saw no lines at any of them.
Afghan police officers set up road blocks in the capital city of Kabul and carried out extensive searches.
International officials have predicted an imperfect election, but expressed hope that Afghans would accept it as legitimate -a key component of President Barack Obama's war strategy.
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