Afghanistan at crossroads as election season kicks off

Afghanistan is preparing for presidential elections with a risk of more of the bloodshed and fraud allegations that have marred previous polls. 17 hopeful candidates will try to beat President Ashraf Ghani as campaign season begins on Sunday.

The cast of contenders includes a former warlord accused of killing thousands, the brother of a mujahideen icon, and a bitter rival seeking retribution.

Afghanistan has been under the scanner as peace talks with Taliban gather speed. Pakistan PM Imran Khan has said he will meet with the Taliban as convince them to negotiate with the Afghan government. The US envoy to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad have been meeting with leaders from Taliban to talk peace and withdraw US troops from the country after nearly 18 years of war.

US wants to pull out all troops from the country in return for guarantees on security from Taliban and an assurance that Afghanistan will not become a safe haven for terror groups.

Washington wants a deal by September 1, but this is unlikely given the complexities and sticking points involved. The next Afghan president could be the one actually talking to leaders of the group and trying to negotiate peace with them. Potentially everything could be up for grabs like women's rights, personal freedom and the constitutional itself.

The September 28 election may only be the first step. Unless a candidate wins a majority, voting will go to a second round, probably in late November.

One crucial issue is that the elections happen at all, as it has already been postponed twice. However, delays could mean more US-Taliban meetings

Nine million people have registered to vote, according to electoral authorities. But there are allegations that some of these might be "ghost" voters.

Top among Ghani's rivals is Abdullah Abdullah, currently serving as the president's own chief executive under an awkward power-sharing arrangement brokered by the US after the fraud-tinged 2014 election.

Ghani, a Pashtun, appears to have also learned the importance of an inclusive cabinet with all the main Afghan ethnicities — and women. Observers say the race is his to lose.

Another frontrunner is Mohammad Haneef Atmar, Ghani's former national security advisor.

Many are despondent about the prospects of a fair election, and worry about a repeat of the sort of violent attacks on previous polls by the Taliban and other insurgent groups trying to undermine Afghanistan's fragile democracy.