The provincial Punjab government of Pakistan lifted a house
arrest order imposed on former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir
Bhutto early Friday, according to the Daily Times
newspaper.
The authorities withdrew a seven-day detention order of Bhutto,
also chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), who was
detained at the residence of PPP leader Latif Khosa in Defence area
of Lahore for last three days.
"The detention order has been withdrawn but normal police
security will stay with her," officials were quoted as saying. The
barricade around her place of confinement will be changed into her
security cordon, police said.
"The house is no longer a sub-jail and the jail staff has been
removed from the place," officials further said.
Meanwhile, Bhutto has started consultation with her party aides
at the Khosa House after the end of her detention, sources
said.
Separately, PML-N Chairman Raja Zafarul Haq said that Benazir
and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had agreed to join forces
against President General Pervez Musharraf.
Bhutto said on Thursday that it was difficult for her to work
with Musharraf because he had taken the country "back towards
military dictatorship".
Bhutto made the comments shortly after a visit by US Consul
General Bryan Hunt at the surrounded residence of Senator Latif
Khosa.
(Xinhua News Agency November 16, 2007)
