WASHINGTON: The United States has warned all Afghan leaders and parties not to resort to extra-legal means for forming the next government as this will force Washington to stop its financial and security support to Afghanistan.

In a statement issued in Washington, a US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki also expressed alarm at the suggestion of setting up a parallel government in Afghanistan.

“Any action to take power by extra-legal means will cost Afghanistan the financial and security support of the United States and the international community,” she warned.

On Monday, Afghan officials released preliminary results of the second run of this year’s presidential election, showing former finance minister Ashraf Ghani in the lead.

Related: Kerry warns Afghanistan as thousands rally in support of Abdullah

However rival former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah rejected the results, claiming widespread riggings.

Some of his supporters have urged him to form a parallel government if his grievances are not addressed.

But Ms Psaki said that Washington had noted reports of protests in Afghanistan and of “suggestions of a parallel government with the gravest concern”. The United States “expects Afghan electoral institutions to conduct a full and thorough review of all reasonable allegations of irregularities,” she added.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2014