Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto's party said today that police arrested thousands of its activists overnight.
Police denied arresting Bhutto supporters but have detained hundreds of lawyers and other opposition figures since President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule and suspended the constitution on Saturday.
Ms Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party plans to hold a public meeting in Rawalpindi today in protest at emergency rule.
Police have warned the party that rallies are banned, but Ms Bhutto has threatened a mass march on November 13th unless Mr Musharraf backs down.
Pakistan government officials have said January elections will be held on time. A member of Mr Musharraf's inner circle said emergency rule was likely to be lifted within two or three weeks. But the president, who took power in a 1999 coup, has not confirmed this.
Gen Musharraf is under international pressure to end the emergency rule, with Washington threatening to halt aid, which has totalled nearly $10 billion since September 11th.