The Pakistani government on Wednesday ordered a crackdown targeting opposition leaders, political activists and anti-government lawyers, just days ahead of a large protest planned to call for the restoration of a former chief justice of the supreme court.

Police arrest an opposition supporter in Multan

Lawyers seeking the return to office of Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry , who was dismissed by Pervez Musharraf, the former military ruler, about two years ago, said hundreds of lawyers and political activists had been arrested.