KABUL, Oct. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- The presidential candidate and incumbent head of state Hamid Karzai on Wednesday repeated his commitment to lead Afghanistan towards prosperity if people vote for him in the Oct. 9 election.

    "I would spare no efforts to push the country towards welfare, prosperity and progress and self-reliance," he told a public gathering at the last leg of his electoral campaign here.

    Karzai, in a gathering attended by over 3,000 people including some ministers, said his only aim was to serve the war-weary nation.

    "I want to see a united, independent and honorable Afghanistan," noted the heavily guarded president in his 10-minute speech at the Olympic Stadium.

    During the past two years he frequently promised to rebuild thewar-ravaged country, establish durable security and alleviate poverty.

    Karzai, who is pitted against 17 challengers in the race, askedhis countrymen to wisely use their vote in electing the country's president.

    "It makes no difference for me to lose the election but it is our responsibility to cooperate with any one who wins the people'sconfidence in the poll," the ambitious Karzai stressed.

    Campaigning for the coming presidential election, the first ever in the post-Taliban nation, is going to be formally closed later Wednesday, 48 hours ahead of the Oct. 9 landmark election. Enditem