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| Opponents march against Musharraf | Opponents march against Musharraf |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Opponents of President Musharraf have held fresh protests against his government in cities across Pakistan. | Opponents of President Musharraf have held fresh protests against his government in cities across Pakistan. |
| Thousands of lawyers and opposition supporters marched through the centre of Lahore. Journalists also rallied in Islamabad and several other cities. | Thousands of lawyers and opposition supporters marched through the centre of Lahore. Journalists also rallied in Islamabad and several other cities. |
| Analysts say the protest campaign is the most serious challenge to President Musharraf since he seized power. | Analysts say the protest campaign is the most serious challenge to President Musharraf since he seized power. |
| The latest demonstrations came as the government said it was suspending sweeping new curbs on the media. | The latest demonstrations came as the government said it was suspending sweeping new curbs on the media. |
| No action will be taken against broadcasters under the ordinance until the committee submits its report Information Minister Ali Durrani | No action will be taken against broadcasters under the ordinance until the committee submits its report Information Minister Ali Durrani |
| The president ordered the restrictions on Monday amid continuing criticism by the media of his suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and its coverage of the anti-government rallies which followed. | The president ordered the restrictions on Monday amid continuing criticism by the media of his suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and its coverage of the anti-government rallies which followed. |
| Meanwhile, government lawyers have rejected Mr Chaudhry's assertion that he was "illegally detained" by the heads of the country's secret intelligence agencies on the day he was ousted in March. | Meanwhile, government lawyers have rejected Mr Chaudhry's assertion that he was "illegally detained" by the heads of the country's secret intelligence agencies on the day he was ousted in March. |
| The lawyers submitted responses to the chief justice in the Supreme Court on behalf of Gen Musharraf's chief of staff and two intelligence agency heads. | The lawyers submitted responses to the chief justice in the Supreme Court on behalf of Gen Musharraf's chief of staff and two intelligence agency heads. |
| According to Mr Chaudhry, who denies abusing his powers, intelligence chiefs spent five hours trying to force him to resign. | According to Mr Chaudhry, who denies abusing his powers, intelligence chiefs spent five hours trying to force him to resign. |
| 'Crackdown' | 'Crackdown' |
| Opposition parties say hundreds of their activists were detained in Punjab province in the run-up to Thursday's protests over the judge's suspension. | Opposition parties say hundreds of their activists were detained in Punjab province in the run-up to Thursday's protests over the judge's suspension. |
| Opposition to Gen Musharraf is focusing around Mr Chaudhry | Opposition to Gen Musharraf is focusing around Mr Chaudhry |
| The authorities confirm making arrests but put the number of detainees lower. | The authorities confirm making arrests but put the number of detainees lower. |
| On Thursday, thousands of opposition members and lawyers marched through the centre of Lahore. | On Thursday, thousands of opposition members and lawyers marched through the centre of Lahore. |
| Shouting "Go, Musharraf, go", they burned copies of the new media regulations which had been suspended just hours earlier. | Shouting "Go, Musharraf, go", they burned copies of the new media regulations which had been suspended just hours earlier. |
| "We express solidarity with media men and condemn the new rules," Liaquat Baloch, a senior Jamaat-i-Islami party leader, told the rally. | "We express solidarity with media men and condemn the new rules," Liaquat Baloch, a senior Jamaat-i-Islami party leader, told the rally. |
| BBC correspondents say rallies were also held in small towns elsewhere in Punjab and Sindh Provinces. Demonstrations also took place in Karachi and Quetta. | BBC correspondents say rallies were also held in small towns elsewhere in Punjab and Sindh Provinces. Demonstrations also took place in Karachi and Quetta. |
| Our correspondents say that nearly all the rallies took place relatively peacefully. | |
| The new media laws have incensed Gen Musharraf's opponents, who have been staging demonstrations against his rule since he suspended Mr Chaudhry. | The new media laws have incensed Gen Musharraf's opponents, who have been staging demonstrations against his rule since he suspended Mr Chaudhry. |
| Judge Chaudhry's supporters say Gen Musharraf was trying to muzzle the independence of the judiciary in an election year. | Judge Chaudhry's supporters say Gen Musharraf was trying to muzzle the independence of the judiciary in an election year. |
| Most of Pakistan's legal community came out in open support of the judge. They were soon joined by Pakistan's religious and secular opposition parties. | Most of Pakistan's legal community came out in open support of the judge. They were soon joined by Pakistan's religious and secular opposition parties. |
| Many of their protests have resulted in bloodshed. | Many of their protests have resulted in bloodshed. |
| Media rules | Media rules |
| An official statement said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had ordered a review of the new restrictions following a meeting of representatives of Pakistan's newspapers and broadcasters. | An official statement said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz had ordered a review of the new restrictions following a meeting of representatives of Pakistan's newspapers and broadcasters. |
| The controversial new controls gave the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) new powers to suspend broadcasters' licenses, seal their premises and confiscate equipment. | The controversial new controls gave the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) new powers to suspend broadcasters' licenses, seal their premises and confiscate equipment. |
| The government has also blocked transmission of three private television stations. | The government has also blocked transmission of three private television stations. |