KABUL, Oct. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Afghanistan's first direct presidential election began at 7 a.m. (local time) Saturday amid tight security.

    More than 10.5 million Afghans including over 4 million women are going to some 22,000 polling stations across the country to cast ballots to choose their president.

    A 19-year-old Afghan refugee in Pakistan became the election's first voter early Saturday, casting a ballot in Islamabad, capitalof Pakistan.

    Around 3 million Afghans are still living as refugees in Pakistan and Iran. To ensure the smooth going of the voting, over 21 million ballot papers have been printed for Afghans both at home and abroad to be used in the presidential elections.

    The crucial polling, according to the officials of the joint UN-Afghan election commission, will be observed by around 5,000 locals including domestic agents from 35 political parties and 600foreign observers.

    Hamid Karzai, current head of the transitional government, is the favorite to win the poll.

    The balloting process will last for only one day and voting will end at 4:00 p.m.(1130 GMT) on Saturday. Enditem