The government has lifted a security cordon and withdrawn police deployed around the house of Aitzaz Ahsan in the eastern city of Lahore, city police chief Malik Iqbal said.

Mr Ahsan was put under house arrest after Musharraf imposed emergency rule on November 3 and sacked scores of judges, including then chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

Immediately upon his release, Mr Ahsan, who is president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, renewed demands for the reinstatement of all the judges fired by Mr Musharraf.

'I demand all 63 judges be reinstated,' he told a rally staged by about 300 lawyers.

The decision to withdraw the detention order follows February 18 elections in which the party of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, and ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif's party, trounced Mr Musharraf's political allies and decided to form a coalition government.

Mr Ahsan had previously called on Mr Musharraf to step down after the polls.

Meanwhile, the election commission officially notified results of the elections, and party officials said Mr Musharraf could convene the parliament this month.

The notification of the 258 winning candidates was issued on Saturday, election commission secretary Kanwar Dilshad told reporters.

Elections were held for 268 seats. The results in 10 constituencies have been withheld after candidates, disputing the outcomes, successfully petitioned the courts for a delay.

Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) emerged as the leading party with 89 seats while Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N bagged 67 and the nationalist Awami National Party mustered 10.

The winners last week demanded Mr Musharraf convene the parliament without delay.

'It is amply clear the opposition parties have the majority to form the government. He (Mr Musharraf) should call the session now,' PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar said on Sunday.

He said the PPP has called a meeting of its elected lawmakers in Islamabad on Thursday to discuss the situation.

Mr Sharif's party spokesman, Mr Siddiqul Farooq, said there was no time limit in the constitution but 'Musharraf cannot delay convening of the session now.' 'I think the parliament will meet within a fortnight,' he said. -- AFP