Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has called on General Pervez Musharraf to resign as president and has ruled out serving under him in a future government.
Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto
"Musharraf himself is a hurdle in the way of democracy," Ms Bhutto said from the house in Lahore where she is being held to prevent her from leading a protest procession. "In order to save Pakistan, Musharraf should resign."
Gen Musharraf suspended the constitution, sacked most judges, locked up lawyers, rounded up thousands of opposition and rights activists and curbed the media.
Pakistani police have placed Ms Bhutto under house arrest for a week in an attempt to thwart a planned protest against Mr Musharraf who last week introduced emergency rule.
While Ms Bhutto's party vowed the protest would go ahead, police said nearly 20,000 men were on duty in Lahore to stop her.
Her detention provoked supporters in the southern city of Karachi to open fire on two police stations in a poor district of the city where her Pakistan People's Party is popular. There were no injuries and police used tear gas to disperse several bands of protesters.
Two-time prime minister Ms Bhutto planned to lead a motorcade on a 270km route from Lahore to Islamabad to demand that Gen Musharraf quit as army chief, end emergency rule, reinstate the constitution and free detained activists - including many from her party.
Ms Bhutto and Gen Musharraf have held power-sharing negotiations, but she has ruled out any further talks while the country remains under emergency rule.
Agencies