Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto (second left) with her supporters outside her residence in Islamabad, 09 Nov 2007
The government of Pakistan freed former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto from house arrest late Friday, after earlier blocking her from leading a rally against emergency rule.
A spokeswomen for Ms. Bhutto said she is due to meet with officials of her Pakistan People's Party and foreign diplomats Saturday.
Earlier, Ms. Bhutto tried twice to leave her residence in the capital, Islamabad, to attend a rally she organized against President Pervez Musharraf in nearby Rawalpindi. But she was unable to break through the barricades, barbed wires and riot police surrounding her home.
Speaking outside the house with supporters by her side, Ms. Bhutto repeated opposition demands that General Musharraf lift the state of emergency, resign as army chief and hold elections by mid-January.
Ms. Bhutto also said she still plans to lead a protest march early next week from Lahore to Islamabad.
In Rawalpindi, police clashed with several hundred protesters who tried to gather for the rally, defying a ban on public demonstrations.
Meanwhile, a suicide bombing killed at least four people at the home of a government minister in the northwestern city of Peshawar. Political affairs minister Amir Muqam was not hurt.
Muqam is the regional head of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League party and an ally of the president.
General Musharraf imposed emergency rule last Saturday, saying it was necessary to curb growing extremist attacks and judicial activism.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto (center), speaks to supporters outside her house.
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, surrounded by barb wire outside her house.
The government of Pakistan late on Friday has withdrawn the earlier detention notice and house arrest of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Police had served her with a temporary detention notice and ordered her to serve 30 days of house arrest. Bhutto was not detained by the police.

The move came as Bhutto planned to attend a protest she organised today in Rawalpindi. She was stopped by troops who were ordered to surround and block off her home located in Islamabad. They then served her with a 30 day detention when she attempted to cross the blockade.

"I am trying to get out, as I want to go to Rawalpindi. I am in front of my house in my car. I have not been arrested and no arrest warrant has been served on me. Large numbers of policemen are present here and there are barb wire barricades and blockades in front of me," said Bhutto.

Police claimed that they are protecting Bhutto from a possible suicide bomb attack because "some suicide attackers have come to Islamabad," added Bhutto.

In Rawalpindi, protesters clashed with police who were enforcing a ban against public demonstrations. Bhutto has publicly announced that she will head a protest against the country's president, Pervez Musharraf, in an attempt to get him to resign as head of the country's military. A protest march from Lahore to Islamabad is scheduled for early next week.