Bhutto detained ahead of mass protest

LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - Pakistani police detained opposition leader Benazir Bhutto for seven days early on Tuesday, police and her party said, just hours before she was due to lead a mass protest against President Pervez Musharraf's emergency rule.

"We have sent the (detention) notice inside and we have not yet got a reply," Lahore Police Chief Aftab Cheema told Reuters at barriers blocking access to the house where Bhutto is staying. A party official confirmed the detention order had been served.

The detention comes hours before Bhutto was due to begin a 3-4 day motorcade protest from Lahore to Islamabad to demand Musharraf end emergency rule he imposed on November 3 and free thousands of detained opponents.

(Reporting by Kamran Haider, Writing by Simon Gardner)