Karzai declared winner in polls

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KABUL, Nov 2 (AP): Afghanistan's election commission proclaimed President Hamid Karzai the victor of the war-ravaged nation's tumultuous ballot Monday, canceling a planned runoff two and a half months after a fraud-marred first round.
Karzai's challenger, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, dropped out of the race Sunday because he said the vote would not be free or fair.
Independent Election Commission chairman Azizullah Lodin announced Karzai victor during a news conference in Kabul.
The chief electoral officer on the Karzai-appointed
Independent Election Commission, Daoud Ali Najafi, confirmed the weekend runoff had been canceled but he gave no details. Another senior official on the commission also confirmed the second round was been called off.
The news came hours after U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Kabul on a surprise visit, as international pressure mounted for a quick resolution to the country's electoral turmoil.
Kazai and Abdullah had been in talks about the possibility of a power-sharing deal.
The cancellation of the weekend vote will be a huge relief to organizers, who were scrambling to hold the election before the onset of fghanistan's harsh winter, which was likely to close roads in the north and prevent voters from casting ballots. A bigger fear was security: A Taliban spokesman had threatened violence against anyone who took part.