Special report: Pakistani Situation

Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto speaks to the media after praying at the tomb of Pakistan's national poet Allama Mohammad Iqbal during a visit to Lahore November 12, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto has been detained at a house in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore, leading English-language newspaper The Dawn reported Tuesday.

    Police officials reached the Khosa House early Tuesday with detention orders of Bhutto who would be confined for seven days at the Khosa House, to prevent her from leading a long march of over 300kms from Lahore to the capital of Islamabad.

Pakistan's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto (R) prays with the mother of Zaheer Ahmed, a victim of the October 18 suicide attacks in Karachi, during her visit to Lahore November 12, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    She was staying at PPP leader Latif Khosa's residence ahead of the planned long march to protest against proclamation of emergency in the country, suspension of constitution, detention of judges and arrests of lawyers and political workers.

    Police in a late night step closed the Khosa House with barriers and deployed heavy contingents at the place.

    Police sources were quoted as saying that the provincial government of Punjab had issued orders that the PPP workers should be stopped from the rally "at any cost". 

Bhutto says her PPP party likely to resist general elections

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto said Tuesday that her party will possibly boycott the upcoming general elections, local media reported.

    Bhutto made the remarks in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore during a telephone interview with a group of reporters.  Full story

Bhutto says no more talks with Musharraf

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said Monday that she had ended talks with President General Pervez Musharraf as "he has not honored his commitments", according to local press reports. Full story

Musharraf: General elections in Pakistan to be held by Jan. 9

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf attends a news conference in Islamabad Nov. 11, 2007. Musharraf, giving a timetable for a general election by early January, said on Sunday he could not give a date for the end of emergency rule. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- General elections including the national assembly and the provincial assemblies would be held simultaneously before Jan. 9, said Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf here on Sunday.

    At his first press conference in the presidential palace since the imposition of emergency eight days ago, Musharraf said that he made the announcement to refute rumors that he would delay the polls by one month. Full story

Official: Pakistan to lift emergency in a month

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Emergency in Pakistan will be lifted in a month as the government does not want to make it a permanent feature, Attorney General Malik Qayyum said Saturday.

    "It is the government policy to continue the state of emergency till it is needed but the situation is improving and it will be lifted in a month," the government's top lawyer told a private TV channel. Full story