Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of all
political leaders and activists, who were recently detained by
authorities to foil their attempt to rally against President
General Pervez Musharraf's bid to contest for another five-year
term.
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General Musharraf's term as Pakistani president will expire on
November 15 and he is set to contest the election for next
five-year president due on October 6, which sparked protests from
some opposition groups.
Nomination papers of Musharraf was submitted to the Election
Commission (EC) on Thursday.
Hundreds of opposition members including leaders have been
detained in Islamabad and east province Punjab over the past few
days, the opposition said.
Government officials said that some opposition members had been
detained or put under house arrest to avert creation of any law and
order problem.
The opposition parties and lawyers said they would hold a rally
outside the office of the Chief Election Commissioner on September
29 when the Chief Election Commissioner will hold scrutiny of
nomination papers of Musharraf.
A four-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice
Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Thursday directed the officials to
submit reports on Friday about detained political activists.
The court also took notice of sealing Islamabad on Thursday and
putting hurdles to stop traffic flow on the roads.
"We should celebrate holding of the presidential elections, the
administration should not clamp curfew," the court said.
A deputy chief of the capital city Thursday confirmed that two
members of parliament Makhdoom Javed Hashmi and Mian Muhammad
Aslam, both senior leaders from the opposition, have been detained,
adding the detention orders will be withdrawn accordingly.
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(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2007)
