Pakistan authorities have issued a warrant for her detention in a senator’s home. Over one thousand officers forced to protect the building given the high number of supporters who surround her. The break down of dialogue with Musharraf confirmed.

Lahore (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was once again put under house arrest yesterday.  She is being forced to reside in the home of Senator Latif Khosa, which was declared a “sub-jail”, according to the detention notice. It is the second time in less than a week the Bhutto finds herself in semi-liberty.

According to anonymous sources from the Defence ministry, over 300 agents and soldiers were initially positioned to defend the house.  But given the increased influx of supporters of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party Leader, that number has been since increased to over one thousand.

Information minister, Tariq Azim, explained that authorities “would not allow the PPP ‘long march’ to occur. Bhutto will not be allowed to break the law, including the ban on political gatherings”.

In the meantime, it seems that the former premier has changed her mind regarding the “transition to democracy”, the pre-electoral pact that that she had signed with the general president of Islamabad, which guaranteed her the possibility of returning home to run in elections in exchange for supporting the re-election of Musharraf.

Last night in fact, Bhutto declared she” would not accept the restraining order” and added: “Under these conditions any further negotiation is not possible.  I no longer intend to give general Musharraf my political support; he must immediately step down and suspend the state of emergency”.

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• elections
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