Pakistan’s Emergency President Pervez Musharraf has resorted to clichéd tough guy rhetoric in order to threaten and politically discredit opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.

Musharraf, who came to power seven years ago via a bloodless military coup, addressed Bhutto Thursday by proposing that the two of them “take their issues outside, and have a bare-knuckled fight."

Former Prime Minister, Bhutto, was placed under house arrest last week after being found guilty of ‘planning to lead a peaceful rally against Musharraf’s imposition of emergency rule.’

After Bhutto was released Friday, Musharraf aimed a number of other hackneyed phrases at her, such as "this town aint big enough for the two of us" and "watch your back, wench, you might be next."

Political commentators have been frantically analysing whether Musharraf's comments were inspired by the gung-ho language of US President George W Bush, with whom Musharraf met recently.  

Bhutto, meanwhile, has yet to respond to Musharraf's threats, though aides close to her have suggested that she has been busy scribbling down some unbelievably trite comebacks, such as 'any place, any time' and 'you want some? Come get some!'