Benazir refuses to participate

Islamabad: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto has refused to take part in a proposed conference of opposition parties in London saying she is against sharing a platform with the Muthahidda Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) alliance of Islamic parties, according to a private television channel.

She told ARY that MMA had supported President Pervez Musharraf's amendments to the constitution in the past and it was still a partner of his PML-Q in the government in Balochistan.

Bhutto said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, her partner in the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, had not consulted her about his plan to convene the multi-party conference. The Pakistan People's Party leader, who appeared in a talk show on the channel, also said she would return to Pakistan at all cost.

A few days ago, Musharraf categorically stated that he would not allow the two former prime ministers to return to the country before the next elections.