KABUL, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who is seeking re-election, attended the first ever televised debate on Sunday with rival candidates Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Ramadan Bashardost.

    Couple of weeks ago, the president had rejected to attend such debate arranged by popular private television channel Tolo citing not informing him prior to airing the program.

    In today's debate, the sitting Karzai defended the achievement of his administration over the past eight years and promised to do more if mandated for the second term.

    Meantime, his arch rival Bashardost and main challenger Ahmadzai criticized Karzai's administration for what they described failing to bring about peace, eradicate poppy and alleviate poverty in the war-torn country.

    Afghanistan's second presidential election with some three dozen hopefuls on the race will be held next Thursday on August 20amid tight security as Taliban fighters have threatened to derail the process.