Pakistani authorities surrounded former Prime Minister
Bhutto’s house in Islamabad
in order to prevent her to hold her rally against the emergency rule that was
declared by the president Musharraf.
Bhutto didn’t receive an official house arrest notice; CNN
quotes a source close to Bhutto.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Railways Minister and close ally to
Musharraf said: “She has been detained at home. This is temporary and is being
done to stop her from going to the meeting,” Reuters reports.
Bhutto urged president Musharraf to restore the
constitution, to set a date for the election, drop his uniform and release the
people that were detained since Saturday.
Her house arrest comes just hours before the rally is
supposed to begin at Rawalpindi
at 1 p.m. (0800 GMT).
On Thursday Bhutto promised that she will go ahead with her
plan and hold the rally although she received many warnings that it would not
be allowed.
Police began late Thursday to take measures in Rawalpindi and in the
park where the rally is supposed to be held. Early Friday the gates of the park
were chained and barricades of barbed-wire were erected on the streets that
lead to the park.
Bhutto’s house was surrounded by hundreds of police officers
and Sen. Anwar Baig of the former prime minister’s Pakistan People’s Party said
that she was being “illegally confined,” L.A. Times reports.
Musharraf told media on Thursday that he will held the
election on February 15, a month later than the original deadline.
“I have been saying for the last few months that elections
will be held on schedule. It was my commitment, and I am fulfilling it,” he
said.
President Musharraf also said that he will drop his uniform but
he didn’t say when that will happen.
President of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, Chaudhry
Shujaat Hussain told CNN Thursday that the state of emergency could continue
for at least a month.
According to CNN the government took of the air for the
second time CNN and British Broadcasting Corporation. This move comes 24 hours
after the ban was lifted for two broadcasters.
Both sides believe that the rally could become violent.
Although Bhutto’s house was surrounded by police wearing
batons, and party activists were detained, a dozen party officials were allowed
to enter.
Raja Pervez Ashraf, senior PPP official and member of
parliament said: “They are terrified of the PPP’s popularity.”
