Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto has moved to forge a coalition of opposition parties in an apparent bid to isolate President Pervez Musharraf ahead of next year's elections.
Ms Bhutto said she was ready for an alliance with another ex-prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, and held telephone talks with former cricket star Imran Khan.
Coupled with her call earlier in the day for Mr Musharraf to resign, the signs are that Ms Bhutto is seeking to unite Pakistan's fractious opposition against a state of emergency imposed on 3 November.
This morning, Ms Bhutto was placed under a one-week house arrest to stop her from leading a procession to protest against the state of emergency.
More than 1,000 police ringed her house in the eastern city of Lahore, where she had been planning to lead the mass protest against emergency rule.
Authorities banned the rally citing security fears and put a seven-day detention order on Ms Bhutto to prevent her galvanising popular support.
There have been protests against both the current state of emergency and the decision to place Ms Bhutto. With clashes reported in a number of cities, including Karachi and Lahore.
In Karachi, opposition supporters opened fire on at least two police stations. The attacks occured in the Pakistan People's Party-dominated Lyari neighbourhood.
Ms Bhutto has called on the international community to stop backing Pervez Musharraf, saying it was time for him to quit as president and army chief.
International anger at the crisis mounted overnight, with the Commonwealth giving President Musharraf 10 days to restore the constitution and lift other emergency measures or face Pakistan's suspension.
Pakistani authorities last week had already put Ms Bhutto under house arrest at her home in Islamabad to stop another anti-Musharraf protest.
The government says political rallies are banned under emergency rule, and that Ms Bhutto's protests are being prevented because of threats.
On Monday Ms Bhutto ruled out power-sharing talks with President Musharraf and said she may boycott the upcoming elections as they would not be free or fair if held under emergency rule.
