I’m not worried about false charges: Bhutto

Benazir Bhutto has said she would return to Pak from self exile on Oct 18 independent of her negotiations with Musharraf.

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has said she would return to Pakistan from self exile on October 18 independent of her negotiations with President Pervez Musharraf over a possible power-sharing deal.

Bhutto, who is facing possible corruption charges on her return to Pakistan, said she felt confident that the people of Pakistan would ‘rally around me’ because they wanted democracy restored.

“I have indeed been having negotiations with General Musharraf for a transition to democracy and fair elections but unfortunately we haven’t been very successful,” Bhutto said.

“So I’m returning independent of the negotiations with General Musharraf,” she told the BBC.

Bhutto’s homecoming plans were announced at a news conference in Islamabad on Friday by the vice-president of her Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Amin Fahim.

In response to the threats by Pakistani authorities that she would have to face corruption charges on her return, Bhutto said there was ‘nothing new in these threats’.

“I’m not worried about these false charges,” she added.

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Bhutto, a two time Premier, went on a self-imposed exile to avoid the graft allegations against her after Musharraf staged a coup in October 1999 ousting Sharif.

She said Musharraf cannot be both President and head of the army. “Pakistan is a military dictatorship, led by a sitting chief of army staff,” Bhutto said.

The government said the 54-year-old charismatic leader was free to come back but would have to face corruption cases against her.

She said the power-sharing talks with Musharraf had stalled, because ‘the people around Musharraf were thoroughly opposed to any understanding between us’.