Benazir rules out alliance with Musharraf, looks for Sharif

---

ISLAMABAD, Nov 13 (Agencies): Britain and America's strategy for a "peaceful transition to democracy" in Pakistan appeared to be unravelling today after the former prime minister Benazir Bhutto announced a definitive break with President Pervez Musharraf. Bhutto also indicated that she wanted to build an alliance with other opposition leaders, including former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to restore democracy.
Pakistan, wracked by violence and political instability looked set to lurch into further disarray after Ms Bhutto, who until now left open the possibility of renewing power-sharing talks with the general, reacted to the ongoing state of emergency.
"It is over with Musharraf," said Bhutto from inside the residence where she has been detained to stop her leading a mass procession against emergency rule.
Police in Pakistan detained Benazir Bhutto and top members of her party to stop a planned protest march from Lahore to Islamabad.
For the second time in five days, police have cracked down on a Pakistan Peoples' Party protest rally for what officials say are security concerns.
Thousands of police have deployed throughout Lahore to stop protesters from massing for the planned multi-day march to the capital starting Tuesday.
Officials say suicide bombers are targeting the planned rally. Bhutto's supporters say the crackdown is an attempt to stifle opposition to emergency laws, imposed by President Pervez Musharraf on November 3.
Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto Tuesday urged President Pervez Musharraf to resign and ruled out serving under him in a future government after she was placed under house arrest for the second time in five days.
Bhutto also said it was now likely her Pakistan People's Party would boycott January parliamentary elections and indicated that she wanted to build an alliance with other opposition leaders, including former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to restore democracy.
Meanwhile, Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif welcomed Tuesday Benazir Bhutto's call for Pakistan's president to resign and said the opposition should unite against the military ruler.
Sharif called for Bhutto and other opposition parties to work together for the restoration of top judges.
Another report adds, US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte will visit Pakistan shortly, officials said Tuesday, without confirming if he was the envoy reportedly being sent to demand an end to emergency rule.
The New York Times reported that President George Bush was to send an envoy to personally tell military ruler Pervez Musharraf that Washington wants emergency rule lifted ahead of general elections promised by early January.
US President George W. Bush wants emergency rule lifted in Pakistan ahead of parliamentary elections, as officials Tuesday said a senior State Department official was preparing to visit Islamabad.
"The president thinks that we need to lift the emergency rule in order to have free and fair elections," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters as Bush returned to Washington from his Texas ranch on Monday.
President Pervez Musharraf must also shed his army uniform "since the president (Bush) thinks you can't be both president and the chief of the army," Perino said.