House Arrest For Bhutto Is Lifted

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LAHORE, Pakistan — Police said they lifted the house arrest of an opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto, on Friday, hours before the arrival of an American envoy who was expected to urge the country’s military leader to end emergency rule. The move came after Ms. Bhutto — while still confined to a house in Lahore — urged fellow opposition leaders to join her in an alliance that could govern until elections. Despite Ms. Bhutto’s call, President Musharraf has given no sign he will hand over power. He has named his own interim prime minister and was expected to announce Friday a caretaker Cabinet to oversee parliamentary elections promised by January 9.

“The government has withdrawn the detention order,” Zahid Abbas, a police official, told an Associated Press reporter near the barricaded house where Ms. Bhutto has been confined for three days.

“The house is no longer a sub-jail but security will remain for her own protection. She’s free to move and anyone will be able to go to the house,” Mr. Abbas said.

Political unrest deepened yesterday as one of the country’s main Islamist parties called its first protests for Friday against the state of emergency, adding the voice of factions opposed to General Musharraf’s alliance with America to the recent protests by lawyers, students and secular parties against military rule.


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