The Hindu : International : Zardari to return to Pakistan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 02, 2005

International

International

Zardari to return to Pakistan

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, MARCH 1. Asif Ali Zardari, husband of the former Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, is returning to Pakistan on April 16. Mr. Zardari, who was released on a bail a few weeks ago after eight years of imprisonment in connection with a number of charges of omission and commission, was allowed to fly to Dubai to join Mrs. Bhutto who lives there in self-imposed exile.

The decision to let Mr. Zardari leave Pakistan and join his family in Dubai was widely interpreted as a "deal" between the Government and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

Advancement of the general election from 2007 to 2005 and accommodation of Mrs. Bhutto in the political power structure were also talked about.

Gap in expectations

However, it failed to materialise perhaps due to the gap in the expectations of Mrs. Bhutto and what the ruling combine was ready to offer. This became evident when recently Nawaz Sharif, another former Prime Minister in exile in Saudi Arabia, met her and discussed measures to strengthen democracy in Pakistan.

The announcement of Mr. Zardari's return so many days in advance has triggered speculation that the party is signalling to the Government that time is running out for a political deal and that it might be forced to take to the path of agitation.

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