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Bhutto's Brief Detention Prompts Concerns

Friday morning in Pakistan, a detention order was imposed on former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. By the end of the day, it was lifted. But it prevented Bhutto from leaving home to address a rally of supporters in nearby Rawalpindi.

The United States expressed concern about her detention and urged Pakistani authorities "to quickly return to constitutional order and democratic norms."

Meanwhile, Bhutto and President Gen. Pervez Musharraf are circling each other — one seeking to hold on to power, the other seeking a return to power. A power-sharing arrangement, encouraged by the U.S., is still possible, but only if Musharraf and Bhutto can somehow meet each others demands.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Philip Reeves
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