Commonwealth foreign ministers have given Pakistan 10 days to lift its emergency rule or face suspension. After an extraordinary session in London, they also said President Pervez Musharraf had to step down as army chief and release political detainees.

In Pakistan, opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was given a seven-day detention order hours before she was due to lead a march from Lahore to the capital. The march was aimed at pressuring Gen Musharraf to ease current restrictions. The Pakistani leader says a parliamentary poll will be held in January, but opposition leaders want an end to emergency rule first.

The United States has been pushing him to accept a power-sharing deal with Ms Bhutto to help shore up his war against Islamist extremists.

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