Arrests in Pakistan after Bhutto's detention (2nd Lead)

Nov 13, 2007, 6:41 GMT

Lahore/Islamabad - Scuffles broke out between supporters of Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and riot police in the eastern city of Lahore on Tuesday, as authorities prevented a protest rally against emergency rule.

Bhutto was placed under week-long house arrest Monday evening only hours before she was due to lead a 'long march for democracy' into the capital city Islamabad, some 290 kilometres from the Punjab province capital.

At least two dozen activists of the ex-premier's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) were arrested from outside the besieged house located in an upmarket neighbourhood of Lahore, the power centre of Pakistani politics.

Most of the detained workers were women and lawmakers who were thrown in the back of a waiting police truck and whisked away, a Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa correspondent reported from the scene.

PPP senior vice-president and former parliamentary speaker Yousaf Raza Gillani was among those arrested.

'We are not criminals. We have not violated any law. We are here for peaceful reception of our leader,' Yasmin Rehman, a PPP parliamentarian, told reporters just before she was taken into custody.

'We do not see any rule of law in the country. The general is sitting as a de facto president and the constitution is being suspended,' Rehman said, adding, 'We want our rights, the rights of any citizen not to be violated.'

'House arrest orders have been served on Ms Benazir (Bhutto) and the law will take its course if they are flouted,' the city's senior superintendent of police Aftab Cheema told dpa earlier.

Hundreds of law enforcers in riot gear cordoned off the residence of a PPP lawmaker where Bhutto has been staying for the last couple of days.

Multi-tier barricades of iron and barbed wire were put in place across all accesses leading to the besieged house, as police buses and trucks blocked the street ends to foil any attempt by Bhutto to roll past the hurdles in her armoured vehicle.

Despite the crackdown, the party said the planned demonstration would go ahead 'at all costs' with its activists ready for 'pitched battles' with anyone creating hurdles in their way.

The ex-premier was also prevented from leaving her Islamabad residence last Friday to address an anti-Musharraf rally in the neighbouring town of Rawalpindi.

Though she could not proceed with her plans, Bhutto kept authorities on the toes by making repeated attempts to break through the security cordons.

Twice deposed on graft and corruption charges, Bhutto has been demanding lifting of the emergency rule, restoration of the constitution, Musharraf's resignation as the country's military chief and release of all political prisoners.

Musharraf, an army general who came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, on November 3 declared a state of emergency, putting the constitution in abeyance, deposing the independent-minded judges, and suspending fundamental rights.

The extra-constitutional step was followed by strict curbs of media, which is still off the air.

Setting aside the confusion about her political motives and back-channel dealings with the military leader, Bhutto told reporters on Monday that: 'We are saying no to any more talks. It is a change from my past policy.'

Besides strong opposition from Bhutto, Musharraf is under growing international pressure to call off the state of emergency and hold free and fair parliamentary elections early next year.

The latest warning came on Monday when a Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) meeting in London gave Pakistan a 10-day deadline to end the emergency rule or face suspension from the organization.