Karzai hails Afghan election

PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS MATERIAL THAT WAS ORIGINALLY 4:3

Afghanistan's outgoing President Hamid Karzai is praising the high turnout for Saturday's election.

Seven million of the country's 12 million eligible voters headed to polling stations to vote for his successor in defiance of Taliban threats of violence.

Karzai says it's a leap of progress.

(SOUNDBITE)(Dari) AFGHAN PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI SAYING:

"The Afghan nation today has put in practice its dream to participate in voting. Despite the cold and rainy weather and possible terrorist attacks our sisters and brothers nation-wide embraced this election and their participation is a step forward and a success for Afghanistan."

It wasn't all smooth running, partly because organisers hadn't expected such a high turnout.

Some polling centres ran short of ballot papers.

The Independent Election Commission ordered an extension to voting hours to allow time for the documents to arrive.