Pakistani authorities held leading opposition politicians, including hundreds of Islamists, in detention on Saturday to stop them protesting against US President George W Bush's visit to the country.
The leader of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) Islamist alliance, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, was detained at his home in Lahore a few days ago, the second time he has been detained within two weeks.
On Saturday police detained up to 350 of the Islamist parties' local-level leaders in towns dotted around the country to prevent them organising rallies, Liaqat Baluch, an MMA member of the National Assembly, said.
Baluch said he expected a protest in the eastern city of Lahore to go ahead despite the detentions.
Police also detained former cricket hero turned politician Imran Khan at his residence to stop him leading a demonstration in Rawalpindi, the garrison town next to the capital, Islamabad.
Khan, who retains a high profile despite his Tehrik-i-Insaaf party's meagre support, says US support for Musharraf, who came to power in a military coup in 1999, is delaying the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.
A Pashtun himself, Khan is also highly critical of the conduct of the war on terrorism by Pakistani and US forces in the Pashtun tribal lands straddling the Pakistan-Afghan border.
"We were at a dinner late last night, and when we came out we were arrested," said Khan's political secretary, Saifullah Niazi. "They took him to his house, and he's still under arrest."
{{/usCountry}}"We were at a dinner late last night, and when we came out we were arrested," said Khan's political secretary, Saifullah Niazi. "They took him to his house, and he's still under arrest."
{{/usCountry}}Officials in Khan's party said up to 150 of their colleagues had been picked up by police.