Bhutto flies to Lahore for protest march

Islamabad: Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on Sunday left for Lahore where she plans to begin a mast protest against emergency rule.

Bhutto plans to lead supporters on Tuesday from Lahore to Islamabad unless President Pervez Musharraf drops the emergency rule and restores the constitution.

She has set a Thursday deadline for Musharraf to give in to the demands and set the date for parliamentary elections. Musharraf's tenure as president also ends on Thursday.

Police stepped up security at Islamabad airport, baton-charging crowds to make room for her convoy and staffing checkpoints, private Geo television reported.

Bhutto is expected to meet officials of her Pakistan's People's Party and other opposition leaders to plot details of the protest.