Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto is willing to return to Pakistan to take charge of the current political situation since the dramatic exile of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said senior leaders of Benazir's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) yesterday.

But, they said, she would go to Pakistan only at the invitation of the party's central executive committee (CEC) which was currently studying the pros and cons of her possible 'safe' return.

"We discussed this matter in our previous CEC meeting and have informed our leader about the latest political situation in the country," said Makhdoom Amin Fahim, senior vice chairman of the PPP.

In an exclusive interview with Gulf News yesterday, Fahim said that Benazir was ready to go back to Pakistan, but "I can't say when she will be in Pakistan."

He added that the matter would again be discussed at the CEC meeting next month.

Fahim had come to Dubai along with some other PPP stalwarts from Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan to meet Benazir on the occasion of Eid Al Fitr. She held an Iftar buffet for them at her residence last evening. At this event, they focussed on her possible return to Pakistan, to take advantage of the current political situation after the exile of her arch foe, Nawaz Sharif.

A PPP source said that that the party leaders were divided on the issue of Bhutto's return to Pakistan. "Some of them want her to come back immediately and face trial as they believed that the time was ripe for her to return to the political fray after Nawaz Sharif's exile, but another group insisted that she should stay abroad unless they discuss the issue in detail," he added.

Fahim said that they were even ready to talk to the government "provided they invite us to discuss this matter". But, he denied reports that the PPP leadership was in the process of hammering out a deal with the current military government regarding the return of their leader, or the release of Asif Ali Zardari.

"It's all propaganda as there are no such efforts in the process," Fahim said and also denied that he had ever asked Chief Executive, General Pervez Musharraf for a meeting. "Neither did I ask for a meeting nor did I meet him secretly," he said.

The second major issue of discussion was the fate of the Azad Kashmir assembly.

Barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry, Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir and PPP leader, came to the meeting.

Minimum opposition
PPP sources told Gulf News that the possible dissolution of the Azad Kashmir assembly in February next year, at least three months prior to the expiry of Chaudhry's five-year stint as PM, was discussed. This would be discussed in greater detail in later meetings.

Sources said that the party leadership wanted to return to government in Azad Kashmir in a stronger position with minimum opposition. This was the third meeting between Chaudhry and Benazir on the issue of PPP government in Azad Kashmir.

Fahim said that the party was in tact. The leaders were not divided on any issue. "We have a difference of opinion but we are united," he claimed.

Eid greetings
He said that their purpose in visiting Dubai was to exchange Eid greetings with their leader, but they did discuss certain party issues and the current political scenario in Pakistan.

"We also have reservations about General Pervez Musharraf mentioning Benazir Bhutto's name in certain cases which are sub judice, in his recent televised speech," he said.

He said that the PPP demanded that the current military government return to democracy and hold elections within 90 days. "There was no other purpose in our current struggle," he said.

Benazir Bhutto, he added, was the only political leader who had a vision and could take the country out of its current crucial political and economic troubles.

Senior PPP leaders, who attended the Iftar, included Iftikhar Gillani, former law minister, Rao Sikandar Iqbal, a senior leader, Nisar Khuhro, president PPP Sindh; Syed Qaim Ali Shah, former chief minister of Sindh; Makhdoom Shahabuddin , former finance minister; Azam Hoti, a senior PPP leader from the Balochistan province; Aftab Shabaan Mirani, former defence minister and barrister Sultan Mehmood Chaudhry.