Pakistan President Urges Ex-PM Bhutto to Delay Return

Excerpt from unattributed report headlined “Musharraf urges Benazir to delay return” published by Pakistani newspaper The News website on 11 October

Islamabad: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said on Wednesday [10 October] former prime minister Benazir Bhutto should not return home until the Supreme Court rules on the legality of his re-election victory last week.

Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairperson Benazir Bhutto is scheduled to fly back home on 18 October after living eight years in self-exile. The Supreme Court is due to reconvene on 17 October to consider opposition challenges to Musharraf’s eligibility in the presidential election last Saturday in which he swept most votes.

“I would say she should not come before. We must tide over these problems. She should come later,” he said in an interview with a private television network broadcast on Wednesday. Asked whether she should return after the decision, he said: “Yes, certainly.” He did not elaborate why he thought she should return after the court decision.

The president said he will not join any political party as a civilian president. “I am above this, and I will remain above…let any party win and I will work with them.” He said: “Yes”, when asked if he will represent all the parties. [Passage omitted]

Originally published by The News website, Islamabad, in English 11 Oct 07.

(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring South Asia. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.