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Hundreds held in Pakistan to foil protests against Bush visit

Imran Khan says his arrest is to appease U.S. President

Islamabad: Cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan was on Saturday put under house arrest by Pakistan police which detained hundreds of Islamist leaders and Opposition activists across the country to thwart protests against U.S. President George W. Bush's visit.

Mr. Khan was detained at his home here in the early hours as he prepared to take out a march from Rawalpindi to Islamabad, according to leaders of his Tehrik-e-Insaf party.

Besides Mr. Khan, 26 of his associates were also taken into preventive custody by authorities, the leaders said.

Police used batons to disperse party activists who gathered in central Rawalpindi shouting slogans like ``Killer Bush go back.''

Party cadres held

Some of the party cadres were also arrested.

Mr. Khan, who had been detained last week also for attempting a similar rally in Lahore, told local TV channel Geo that his house arrest was ``just to appease Bush''.

Opposition parties had pledged to observe `Black Day' and take out demonstrations to protest the American leader's visit.

To prevent any major rallies, police detained from across the country some 350 activists of the Islamic alliance Muttahida Majlis-e Amal (MMA) and Opposition parties including some local leaders. Hanif Abbasi of MMA was detained at his home in Rawalpindi, while the alliance's leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed, detained a few days ago, remained in house arrest in Lahore.

Despite the crackdown, around 500 protesters gathered in the eastern city of Multan and took out a peaceful rally, while nearly 50 Islamists held a march in Lahore.

Police blocked a key bridge to prevent any protesters from entering Islamabad from the northwest region which is dominated by the Islamist parties. — PTI

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