The move came as Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) appealed to the government to postpone the move until the couple have appealed against the conviction in the Supreme Court.

Across the country there were low-key protests in support of the couple.

Written appeal

The PPP said it had written to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to withold a decision until the "period of limitation" for filing an appeal expires, and, if the appeal is filed, until a Supreme Court ruling.

But correspondents say the couple could face a uphill battle.

The BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones said: "Government ministers have made it clear that they intend to enforce the sentence handed down by the Lahore high court."

The government has stated it will arrest Benazir Bhutto when she returns to Pakistan from London.

But Pakistan People's Party officials, who are currently organising an appeal to the Supreme Court say that Ms Bhutto has still not decided if and when she will return.

PPP officials say the supreme court could delay her arrest and even the parliamentary disqualification, until her appeal is heard.

Protests

Meanwhile, a call from the Pakistan People's Party for a day of nationwide protests received a mixed response.

Correspondents say that in Sind, the Bhutto political power base, many people did go on strike, but elsewhere, there were sporadic protests, most of which were met with a tough response from the police.

Protestors in Peshawar were tear-gassed and baton-charged and the PPP says that across Pakistan, many senior party officials and activists have been arrested. Benazir Bhutto and her husband both face five years in prison, disqualification from public office and $8m fines.

Corruption charges

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is opposition leader of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) in the 217-seat National Assembly.

Bhutto and her husband Asif Ali Zardari, a former minister in his wife's cabinet and a member of the Senate, were convicted of corruption charges last week.