Former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto on Sunday began preparations for her party's 'long march' from Lahore to national capital Islamabad, expected to be the biggest protest against the emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf last week.
Bhutto flew to Lahore, the capital of Punjab province, which is a stronghold of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q, amid tight security arrangements. The airport was surrounded by security personnel who prevented people, including Pakistan People's Party workers and the media, from entering the building.
The two-time former premier, who was detained in her home on Friday by hundreds of policemen to prevent her from leading a rally against the emergency in nearby Rawalpindi, has demanded that Musharraf restore the constitution and fundamental rights, and hold the general election as scheduled in mid-January.
Addressing a gathering of diplomats last night, she said dictatorship is fuelling extremism and Pakistan 'under dictatorship is a pressure cooker.'
Bhutto also urged Musharraf to quit as army chief and to release all people arrested under emergency regulations, including hundreds of workers of her Pakistan People's Party.
Bhutto's planned long march, which will traverse a distance of nearly 300 km, is expected to be the PPP's largest show of strength since her homecoming rally in Karachi on October 18 that was marred by a suicide attack, which killed nearly 140 people and injured hundreds more.
Though Bhutto has given Musharraf time till November 15 to give up his uniform and end the emergency, the march will begin from Lahore two days earlier so that the PPP can step up pressure on the beleaguered military ruler.
All political gatherings and rallies are banned under the emergency regulations and it remains to be seen whether authorities in Punjab whose chief minister, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi, is an outspoken critic of Bhutto will allow the PPP to go ahead with the march.
PPP leaders have said Bhutto is determined to go ahead with the march under any circumstances. The march will culminate with a sit-in that is likely to be held near Parliament in Islamabad.
Bhutto, 54, returned to Pakistan from eight years in self-exile after Musharraf granted her amnesty in corruption cases following months of secret talks. She has said that all contacts between the PPP and the military regime were suspended with the imposition of emergency on November 3.
