The World : Afghans Said to Jail Karmal

Babrak Karmal, the former Afghan leader who was dropped from power last year, has been arrested in Afghanistan and is in prison, the New China News Agency reported. The agency quoted unidentified diplomatic sources in Islamabad, Pakistan, as saying that the order to arrest the 58-year-old Karmal came from the ruling Revolutionary Council, which he had headed during the nearly seven years he was in power. He was removed as party leader exactly a year ago but kept the titular presidency and membership in the ruling Politburo. Last Nov. 21, the government announced that he was retiring from all posts at his own request.