Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto [Images] on Monday night asked the military regime of Pervez Musharraf [Images] to hold national assembly elections on time.

Addressing a press conference in Karachi, she said the government should ensure that the general elections are held on time.

"There should be no delay in the elections which should be held without any emergency in the country," she said and added the condemnation of the emergency by the international community showed elections should not be delayed.

Bhutto reiterated her call to Musharraf to end the state of emergency in the country and to release all the lawyers, journalists, political leaders and workers detained by authorities in the last 48 hours.

"The way the authorities tried to suppress the demonstrations and protests against the emergency order was disappointing and needs to be condemned by all political parties and the international community," she said.

They were rumours circulating the entire day that Bhutto had been placed under house arrest.

Bhutto, who returned home on Saturday hours after the imposition of emergency, is also reported to have spoken to Musharraf twice during the day on the current situation in the country.

She said her party had been in talks with the government for restoration of democracy, which she said was the ultimate aim of her Pakistan People's Party.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists condemned the detention of 16 reporters, photographers and cameramen in parts of the country including five from outside the Karachi Press Club.