Benazir Govt Dismissed

President Farooq Leghari announced the dismissal and the dissolution of the National Assembly in a statement, issued in the morning, in which he accused the Bhutto government of "corruption, nepotism and violation of rules."

Mr Meraj Khalid, an 80-year-old retired politician who is rector of the Islamic University, is the caretaker PM. He pledged to hold free and fair elections. While opposition parties enthusiastically welcomed his decision, Ms Bhutto denounced it as unconstitutional. The army detained Asif Ali Zardari, Ms Bhutto's husband.