Afghan expert says US envoy did not call for run-off.

A prominent Afghan political affairs expert has denied the US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan has called in a meeting with Karzai for a presidential run-off in Afghanistan. The expert has also criticized a BBC report that Hamed Karzai and Richard Holbrooke had "explosive talks" one day after the 20 August elections, adding that the talks were serious.

"Look. It is the BBC which reports that Mr Holbrooke wants the Afghan elections to go to the second round. As far as I know, this report is totally baseless... Why is the BBC trying to undermine public opinion? The BBC was once very credible. Why is it interfering in Afghanistan's affairs? The reason the BBC is doing so is that conspiracy making the elections of Afghanistan to go for a second round was undermined two days before the elections. The president played the key role in neutralizing the conspiracy, because pushing the elections for a second round would undermine Afghanistan's national interests," said Mamun. He claimed that he could easily learn sensitive information and development at the senior Afghan government level as he, according to him, is the head of research section of a civil and legal association and is in contact with different people.

The BBC …