ISLAMABAD, March 25 (Reuters) - Pakistani police detained hundreds of opposition activists ahead of a protest against President Pervez Musharraf's move to sack the country's top judge, opposition leaders said on Sunday.

The suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on March 9 has infuriated lawyers, opposition activities and many ordinary Pakistanis who consider it an attack on the independence of the judiciary.

Two exiled former prime ministers, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, earlier this week met in London and called on their supporters to stage rallies on Monday to denounce the move which has snowballed into the biggest political crisis for Musharraf in the run-up to his attempt to seek a second term.

The move also fuelled suspicion that Musharraf feared Chaudhry might block any attempt by the president to keep the office of army chief, which he is due to relinquish by this year.

Protesting lawyers and opposition activists clashed with police in Islamabad and the eastern city of Lahore in the days after Chaudhry's suspension. Seven judges and a deputy attorney-general have resigned over the issue.

Bhutto's Pakistani People's Party (PPP) said police had arrested at least 300 of its activists in several cities in the country's most populous and politically influential province of Punjab.

"They are conducting raids and arresting our workers. It is a crackdown on political opponents," the PPP's central leader and parliamentarian Raja Pervez Ashraf said.

But he said the protest would go ahead. "They can't stop people. Such actions would give further impetus to our struggle."

Police said they had detained 90 opposition activists in the cities of Lahore and Multan.

"For the maintenance of peace and tranquillity, we're taking all steps," a senior police officer in Lahore, Malik Mohammad Iqbal, said.

Last week Chaudhry challenged the Supreme Judicial Council, the panel of judges hearing the case against him, and said he did not expect a fair inquiry because of the composition of the panel. He has also demanded a public hearing.

The second most Supreme Court judge Rana Bhagwandas, who will head the judiciary watchdog after taking oath on Saturday, said the decision on the reference would be taken strictly according to law and constitution.

The panel hearing the accusations against Chaudhry is due to hold its third closed session on April 3.

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