Bhutto's husband returns to Pakistan, supporters arrested

(16 Apr 2005)

++++ Night Shots ++++
1. Various of security check points on road to Lahore airport
2. Wide shot of Lahore airport
3. Airport sign
4. Police in terminal
5. Various of police arresting Pakistani People's Party (PPP) supporters at airport
6. UPSOUND (English) Benazir Bhutto's secretary Naeed Khan shouting: "Go Musharraf Go!" (ie Musharraf must go)

++++ Day Shots ++++
7. UPSOUND (Urdu) PPP supporters chanting: "Long live Bhutto!"
8. Various of female PPP supporters being beaten and arrested by female police
9. Various PPP supporters being arrested and driven away
10. Wide shot of Asif Ali Zardari's plane arriving on runway
11. Set up Dr Shahid Masood, journalist
12. SOUNDBITE (Urdu) Dr Shahid Masood, Correspondent for Pakistani news channel, ARY :
"The plane landed and police officers rushed into the plane. They pushed Asif Zardari and were really manhandling the journalists. This is the first time I've seen anything like this."
13. Security near Bilawal House, where PPP's Lahore headquarters and Zardari's residence, is located
14. Various of women chanting slogans in police vehicle UPSOUND (Urdu): "Long live Bhutto!"
15. Vehicle with arrested drives away
16. Police road block
17. Various of Asif Ali Zardari in garden of Bilawal House
18. Various Asif Ali Zardari on the phone

STORYLINE:

The husband of Pakistan's former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, was whisked oaway by police upon his return from a trip overseas, to prevent him from holding a major rally in this eastern Pakistani city on Saturday.

Asif Ali Zardari was taken from the airport by police - sparking reports he had been arrested - and dropped at his home.

Meanwhile between 100 and 150 opposition activists who had managed to evade a heavy police blockade of Lahore airport were arrested after clashing with police.

About 200 other protesters were arrested elsewhere in the city.

Zardari arrived early on Saturday on a scheduled flight from Dubai, where his wife lives in self-imposed exile to avoid arrest on graft charges

He was travelling with several leaders of his Pakistani People's Party (PPP) - including the parliamentary head, Makhdoom Amin Fahim.

After the plane landed police boarded the aircraft and took Zardari and his aides away.

In recent days, party officials say thousands of activists from Bhutto's PPP have been rounded up from around the country, mostly in eastern Punjab and southern Sindh provinces, to prevent them congregating for the rally.

The planned rally was a carefully orchestrated bid by the opposition to boost the political profile of Zardari, who was freed on bail in December after eight years in jail on corruption charges, and Bhutto's party, marginalised during the five-year rule of President General Pervez Musharraf.

The opposition had trumpeted his return as a test of Musharraf's commitment to democracy and tolerance of political opponents.

Bhutto, who was twice elected prime minister, is opposed to Musharraf's rule. Both her governments were dismissed because of allegations of corruption and misrule.

Zardari was jailed in 1996 after Bhutto's second government was dismissed.

Zardari's release on bail in December was seen as a possible sign of rapprochement between Bhutto and Musharraf, who share a pro-Western outlook.

Yet Musharraf's relations with the main opposition parties remain frosty.

After seizing power in a military coup in 1999, Musharraf held elections in late 2002 but he has failed to resign as army chief as promised.
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