Policemen surround Bhutto's house ahead of anti-Mush rally

ISLAMABAD: A large number of policemen on Friday surrounded the house of former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto, preventing her from leading a rally in nearby Rawalpindi city against Emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf nearly a week ago.

"I have just spoken to bibi's (as Bhutto is referred to by her supporters) personal security officials. A large number of policemen have surrounded the home (Zardari house)," PPP spokesman Capt Wasif Syed said.

But Syed said that 'there is no official house arrest'.

Party sources said that policemen told Bhutto not to go out of her house 'for the sake of her own safety' and no documents were served on her.

Apprehending that the government might stop them from taking part in the rally, the party leaders had dispersed on Thursday, the sources said.

Hundreds of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) supporters were arrested, mostly in Punjab, overnight to thwart the rally while authorities sealed off the venue.

Political gatherings are banned under Emergency and the Punjab government had said that it will not allow the rally as about seven suicide bombers had infiltrated in the city and were planning to target Bhutto, who survived an assassination bid last month on her return home from eight-year exile.