In Pakistan, more than 700 members of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s party were reportedly detained overnight. The arrests came hours after Bhutto announced plans to hold a huge rally against General Pervez Musharraf’s decision to declare martial law.

Benazir Bhutto: “Today we are going ahead with a protest, a peaceful protest. And we are going ahead with another protest on the 9th. But if the government — and if the government wants a political solution, we ask the government then, we ask General Musharraf then, to come on television and announce that he is reviving the Constitution, he will keep his commitment to retire as chief of army staff, and that elections will be held as scheduled, and committed to us, on or before November 15th, to be completed by January 15.”

Benazir Bhutto said Friday’s protest will proceed despite the overnight arrests which took place hours after President Bush personally spoke with General Pervez Musharraf for the first time since emergency rule was declared on Saturday.

President Bush: “We believe strongly in elections and that you ought to have elections soon and you need to take off your uniform. You can’t be the president and the head of the military at the same time.”

U.S. officials have been in close contact with the Pakistani government for days. Admiral William Fallon, commander of the U.S. Central Command, met with Musharraf just before martial law was declared. On Capitol Hill Wednesday, John Negroponte urged Congress not to cut off aid to Pakistan, which he described as an “indispensable” ally in the war on terrorism. Earlier today, state television in Pakistan quoted General Musharraf as saying that Pakistan will hold elections before Feb. 15.