News In Brief

Zia says he'll free his foes before Pakistani elections

Pakistan's imprisoned opposition political leaders will be freed before elections to a civilian parliament promised by March 1985, martial law President Mohammad Zia Ul-Haq said.

The official APP news agency said General Zia also told journalists Monday night that most people arrested during two months of anti-government protests last year had now been released.

Zia gave no total figure for those still in jail. The government has said over 4,000 people were arrested during the unrest. The opposition estimated the total at double that number.