Pakistan police detain more than 500 activists

Police have detained more than 500 activists from opposition political parties ahead of what organisers predict will be the biggest rally yet in support of Pakistan’s ousted chief justice.

President Gen. Pervez Musharraf touched off a political storm by suspending Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry on March 9 for allegedly abusing his office.

Lawyers and opposition parties have staged a series of anti-Musharraf demonstrations across the country, and hope to draw huge crowds to a rally tomorrow in the eastern city of Lahore, where Chaudhry is to speak.

Ameer ul-Azeem, a spokesman for a coalition of religious opposition parties, accused authorities of rounding up “thousands” of activists, mostly in Lahore, to stymie the protest.

A senior provincial official confirmed that police had detained people to prevent any “untoward incidents,” but put the number at more than 500.