International   

Benazir plans return to Pakistan

B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Benazir Bhutto has asserted that she is determined to return to Pakistan and take part in the general elections due in the country in October 2007. Addressing the joint meeting of the Central Executive Committee and Federal Council of the Party in London on Sunday Ms. Bhutto ruled out any "compromise" with the Musharraf regime on the issue of her return to the country but did not set any date for her return. "Let there be no doubt or mistake that I will return to the country before the next elections and take part in them as well come hail or storm", she told the meeting convened to take stock of the current political situation in Pakistan and look at the party strategy for the next general election. Ms. Bhutto lives in Dubai and London on self-imposed exile since 1997, the days of Nawaz Sharif regime, and has talked oft and on of her return to Pakistan to carry forward the fight of her party against the military and Musharraf backed Muslim League. Just before the October 2002 general election invoking his powers as a military ruler Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf banned those who had served two terms as Prime Minister from being elected for the third time and effectively blocked her as well as Mr. Sharif's way to the highest job. Since 2002, Ms. Bhutto has been engaged in backroom parleys with managers of Gen. Musharraf for a "deal".

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Court hears first testimony as Saddam trial resumes
Blair pledges to press on with reforms agenda
134 killed in Chinese coal mine blast
Rajapakse invites LTTE leader for peace talks
A post office for Santa Claus
When the seniors look around for love
A wardrobe revamp coming
Elephant culling questions in Africa
Pro-Kremlin party leading in Chechnya polls
Zimbabwe's Opposition splits
Benazir plans return to Pakistan

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu