Pakistan's National Assembly on Wednesday endorsed the proclamation of the emergency by President Pervez Musharraf amidst a boycott by opposition lawmakers and a protest by Pakistan People's Party workers.
The emergency was endorsed by the passage of a resolution presented in the House by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan Khan Niazi.
The special session of the National Assembly convened by Musharraf also passed another resolution congratulating the military ruler on his re-election in the October 6 presidential poll.
The session was boycotted by parliamentarians of the PPP, the largest political party. Other opposition members had resigned earlier and the session was attended only by members of the ruling PML-Q and its allies.
Hundreds of PPP workers gathered some distance from the National Assembly and tried to push past barb-wire barricades put up by police and paramilitary forces to cut off access to Constitution Avenue, the Central boulevard along which the Parliament, president's office and Supreme Court are located.
Police used batons and teargas to disperse the protestors, including women, and detained some of them.
The PPP workers shouted slogans like "Long Live Benazir" and "Down with the emergency."
The National Assembly noted that the proclamation of emergency and the issuance of the Provisional Constitutional Order by Musharraf on November 3 had been "necessitated in view of terrorist acts in the country, disharmony among pillars of the state, especially the hindrance created by the judiciary and security situation in some parts" of Pakistan.
The resolution congratulating Musharraf said Pakistan was on the path of progress and prosperity under his leadership.
It said the Parliament and provincial assemblies re-elected the president with a big majority.
Journalists, including TV camera crews, were prevented from going near Constitution Avenue and vehicles of security agencies, their sirens wailing, alone were allowed to enter the area.
Shortly before the National Assembly convened, Bhutto called on the people to protest against the emergency and said she would lead a "long march" from Lahore to Islamabad to press Musharraf to revive the Constitution, give up the post of army chief and hold elections by mid-January.
Bhutto also said the PPP would defy a government ban to hold a rally in Rawalpindi on November 9 as a "show of strength".
Police and civil officials in Rawalpindi have said any move to defy the ban would be dealt with "the full force of the law."
Hundreds of people, including PPP workers, lawyers, judges and opposition and rights activists, have been arrested since Musharraf suspended the Constitution and key fundamental rights after imposing emergency.
All TV news channels are off the air and public gatherings have been banned.
Bhutto, who returned to Pakistan from eight years in self-exile on October 18 after Musharraf issued an ordinance to give her amnesty in graft cases, said the general could "kickstart" stalled negotiations for the transition to democracy by ending the emergency.
