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| Pakistani ex-PM Sharif 'detained' | Pakistani ex-PM Sharif 'detained' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Pakistan opposition leader Nawaz Sharif has been placed under house arrest in the city of Lahore, his party has said. | Pakistan opposition leader Nawaz Sharif has been placed under house arrest in the city of Lahore, his party has said. |
| The interior ministry told the BBC there were no curbs on Mr Sharif's movements - police were protecting him. | The interior ministry told the BBC there were no curbs on Mr Sharif's movements - police were protecting him. |
| Ex-prime minister Mr Sharif had planned to lead a rally in Lahore ahead of a march on the capital, Islamabad. | |
| Police fired tear gas at protesters in Lahore. Mr Sharif told those gathered outside his home the entire country had been turned into a "police state". | Police fired tear gas at protesters in Lahore. Mr Sharif told those gathered outside his home the entire country had been turned into a "police state". |
| "They have blocked all roads, they have used all sorts of unlawful tactics," Mr Sharif told reporters on the front step of his home, Reuters news agency reported. | "They have blocked all roads, they have used all sorts of unlawful tactics," Mr Sharif told reporters on the front step of his home, Reuters news agency reported. |
| Mr Sharif has thrown his weight behind a nationwide "long march" by lawyers demanding the reinstatement of judges removed by the former government. | Mr Sharif has thrown his weight behind a nationwide "long march" by lawyers demanding the reinstatement of judges removed by the former government. |
| The authorities have banned rallies, citing a security threat The demonstrators are planning to converge on the capital on Monday for a sit-in outside parliament. | The authorities have banned rallies, citing a security threat The demonstrators are planning to converge on the capital on Monday for a sit-in outside parliament. |
| But the government has set up roadblocks to seal off Islamabad and banned rallies, saying they could trigger violence. | But the government has set up roadblocks to seal off Islamabad and banned rallies, saying they could trigger violence. |
| The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the campaign over the judges has become a power struggle between Mr Sharif and current President Asif Ali Zardari. | The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the campaign over the judges has become a power struggle between Mr Sharif and current President Asif Ali Zardari. |
| President Zardari - the widower of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto - promised to bring back the judges when he took office last year following his wife's assassination. | President Zardari - the widower of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto - promised to bring back the judges when he took office last year following his wife's assassination. |
| Riot police surrounded Mr Sharif's home on Saturday night before blocking all access roads and reportedly baton-charging his supporters when they came to protest. | Riot police surrounded Mr Sharif's home on Saturday night before blocking all access roads and reportedly baton-charging his supporters when they came to protest. |
| Pervez Rasheed, a spokesman for the detained politician's Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), said a senior police officer had said Mr Sharif would be detained for three days. | Pervez Rasheed, a spokesman for the detained politician's Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), said a senior police officer had said Mr Sharif would be detained for three days. |
| Mr Sharif's brother, Shahbaz, also a senior politician, is said to be in hiding in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near Islamabad at a property also surrounded by police. | Mr Sharif's brother, Shahbaz, also a senior politician, is said to be in hiding in the garrison city of Rawalpindi near Islamabad at a property also surrounded by police. |
| PML-N says a number of opposition leaders have also been placed under house arrest. | PML-N says a number of opposition leaders have also been placed under house arrest. |
| PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal told the BBC President Zardari was using "undemocratic measures... to crack down on a very peaceful movement". | PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal told the BBC President Zardari was using "undemocratic measures... to crack down on a very peaceful movement". |
| But interior ministry chief Rehman Malik told the BBC Mr Sharif was free to go anywhere and the police outside his house were for his own protection. | But interior ministry chief Rehman Malik told the BBC Mr Sharif was free to go anywhere and the police outside his house were for his own protection. |
| "I categorically confirm no restraining orders, no arrest warrant, no house arrest. He's totally free to move anywhere in the country," Mr Malik said. | "I categorically confirm no restraining orders, no arrest warrant, no house arrest. He's totally free to move anywhere in the country," Mr Malik said. |
| He added: "We are under heavy threat of the terrorists... and that has been conveyed to Mr Nawaz Sahirf, Shahbaz Sharif and other political leaders." | He added: "We are under heavy threat of the terrorists... and that has been conveyed to Mr Nawaz Sahirf, Shahbaz Sharif and other political leaders." |
| Long-running tensions | Long-running tensions |
| Gen Musharraf led a military coup in 1999 that ousted then-Prime Minister Sharif, and ruled until 2008. | Gen Musharraf led a military coup in 1999 that ousted then-Prime Minister Sharif, and ruled until 2008. |
| Deja-vu in crackdownQ&A: Pakistan political instability | Deja-vu in crackdownQ&A: Pakistan political instability |
| The tensions between Mr Zardari and Mr Sharif date back to the 1990s, but the two formed a brief partnership in government after parliamentary elections in February 2008. | The tensions between Mr Zardari and Mr Sharif date back to the 1990s, but the two formed a brief partnership in government after parliamentary elections in February 2008. |
| Mr Sharif's PML-N left from the alliance in August 2008, complaining about the PPP's reluctance to reinstate former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and other judges sacked by President Musharraf. | Mr Sharif's PML-N left from the alliance in August 2008, complaining about the PPP's reluctance to reinstate former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and other judges sacked by President Musharraf. |
| Relations have been further strained in recent weeks by a Supreme Court decision to ban Mr Sharif and his brother Shahbaz from elected office, and President Zardari's decision to put their stronghold in Punjab province under direct rule from Islamabad. | Relations have been further strained in recent weeks by a Supreme Court decision to ban Mr Sharif and his brother Shahbaz from elected office, and President Zardari's decision to put their stronghold in Punjab province under direct rule from Islamabad. |
| Shahbaz Sharif was Punjab's chief minister. | Shahbaz Sharif was Punjab's chief minister. |
| But on Saturday, in a move seen as a conciliatory gesture, the government agreed to seek a review of the Supreme Court ruling. | But on Saturday, in a move seen as a conciliatory gesture, the government agreed to seek a review of the Supreme Court ruling. |
| The political instability comes as Pakistan faces an economic crisis and a growing militant insurgency based in the north-west. | The political instability comes as Pakistan faces an economic crisis and a growing militant insurgency based in the north-west. |