**Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been accused by a rival during a live TV election debate of lacking a plan.**Ahead of Thursday’s presidential poll, Mr Karzai faced two rivals: independent MP Ramazan Bashardost and ex-finance minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.
Criticising the incumbent, Mr Ghani said Afghanistan needed a president with a “clear and specific” strategy.
Another main contender, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, did not take part in the debate.
Last month, Mr Karzai was lambasted for not taking part in a live TV debate. He said at the time it would have been biased.
“My dears [the Taliban], give up these activities as you have brought misery to your people”
**Hamid Karzai
Afghan President **
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The Afghan president is tipped as the leading candidate in a crowded field of three dozen contenders vying to win a five-year term.
During Sunday’s TV debate, Mr Ghani defended the presence of foreign troops in the country, but said strong Afghan leadership was needed to make it effective.
“Until we have an owner for this land and a president who has a clear and specific Afghan strategy, and who is able to convince the world that his strategy is better, more practical and produces results, all other efforts will be useless,” he said.
Mr Karzai appealed during the TV debate to the Taliban to stop fighting.
“My dears, you have been incited against your own ethnic group; give up these activities as you have brought misery to your people,” he said.
He expressed support for America, but also called for an end to coalition air strikes resulting in civilian casualties.
“This war should be launched on terrorist sanctuaries rather than on our land, villages and houses; and stop bombing my land,” he said.
But the Taliban reportedly warned voters on Sunday to boycott this week’s poll or risk becoming caught up in militant attacks on voting stations, in leaflets distributed around the south of the country.
Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP news agency: “We are using new tactics targeting election centres… We will accelerate our activities on election day and the day before.”