Wednesday, December 22 2004 09:36 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Terming her husband Asif Ali Zardari's re-arrest "illegal", self exiled former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto today (Dec 21, 2004) said her Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) would challenge his detention in the Sindh High Court tomorrow (Dec 22, 2004).

"The re-arrest of Zardari after a month of his release is illegal because the court withdrew the bail order without giving any notice to him," she told local Geo TV in an interview from Dubai.

Claiming that her husband was arrested for political reasons, she said the Government imposed restrictions on him by barring him to enter capital Islamabad.

He was released after eight years imprisonment and wanted to visit the Capital, what was wrong with that? she asked.

Alleging bias, she said the Government has allowed the Islamist alliance the Muthahida Majlis Amal (MMA) to hold a meeting in Rawalpindi few days ago to protest President Pervez Musharraf's decision to retain the post of Chief of Army by Dec 31, whereas Zardari was not even allowed to visit Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Zardari was arrested after landing at Islamabad airport today after an anti-terrorism court withdrew a bail order granted to him in a case relating to the murder of a former judge and his son about a decade ago.

Zardari was later flown to Karachi and confined to house arrest. His house has been converted into a sub jail, reports from Karachi said.