ISLAMABAD, Nov. 23, Reuter: Afghanistan’s communist authorities have named nonparty man Haji Mohammad Tsamkani to head the revolutionary council after last week’s resignation of President Babrak Kar‘mal, the official Kabul radio said today.
But the radio, monitored in Islamabad, did not make clear ‘whether this was a temporary appointment pending the election of a President..
‘The radio’s late evening news bulleting described Tsamkani, until now a vice President of the revolutionary council, as the “patron” of the council and its 14‘member presidium rather than President, an office which had made Karmal the head of state.
‘Tsamkani, a former parliamentarian, is one off several people outside the ruling communist party who were brought into the revolutionary council early this year to win more acceptances from social groups they represented.
He is an ethnic Pashtun from the eastern province of Pakistan.
Karmal, who took power in December 1979 as Moscow sent troops into Afghanistan, resigned on Thursday for what was officially described as poor health.
Earlier in May, he had been replaced as leader of the (communist) People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) by former Secret Police Chief Najibullah.
Kabul radio said Tsamkani today chaired a meeting of the revolutionary council presidium which Supported what it called “Soviet declarations on peace initiatives”.
He also received the Soviet ambassador in Kabul, Pavel Mozaev, who congratulated him “on being elected as patron of the revolutionary council and the presidium of the revolutionary council.
‘The broadcast did not say when the election took place.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 28, 1986
