Pressure mounts to delay return

Islamabad: Pakistan ratcheted up pressure on Benazir Bhutto to delay her planned homecoming this week, as the former premier said she feared retired army officers may be plotting to kill her.

Bhutto is set to return from eight years of self-imposed exile on Thursday after President Pervez Musharraf gave her amnesty against corruption charges, in an apparent step towards a US-backed power-sharing deal.

But the government has back-pedalled and says Bhutto should wait until the Supreme Court has ruled on the legality of the amnesty and on the validity of Musharraf's landslide win in an October 6 presidential vote.

Military ruler Musharraf, a key US ally who seized power in a coup in 1999, says he has sent personal messages to Bhutto asking her to stay away for now.

Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azeem said Bhutto could be arrested if the Supreme Court upholds legal challenges that were lodged last week against the amnesty.

Highly unlikely

"It is because of this reason that we are asking her to wait until the legal battle is over," Azeem told reporters. "But at the moment it is highly unlikely the government will arrest her".

Railways Minister Shaikh Rashid, a close Musharraf aide, said it would be "good if she postpones her return. But Bhutto is most welcome if she comes back".

Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) said she would not change her plans.

"She will arrive in Karachi as per schedule on October 18 and we are ready to accord her a historic welcome," said party vice president Makhdoom Amin Fahim.

PPP leaders yesterday dismissed what they called government-inspired rumours that former prime minister Benazir Bhutto could put off her scheduled October 18 return to the country.

"People from all over the country are already on their way to Karachi to welcome Mohtarma (Lady) Benazir Bhutto and we shall not deceive them," Fahim said.

Fahim said he would be going to Dubai from where he along with others would accompany the PPP chairperson to Karachi. "There is no change and there will be none in her programme to fly into Karachi on October 18," he said.

PPP information secretary Sherry Rehman said "insecure elements" in ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) were worried by the expected large welcome for the PPP leader and were therefore fanning baseless rumours.

Original programme

"Mohtarma is coming back according to the original programme and we do not need any green signal from anyone," she asserted.

She said there was no confusion in the PPP about her return according to the set programme and caravans from all over the country were travelling to Karachi for the "historic" reception.

Sherry Rehman said the final details about her flight; the route and the time of arrival at Karachi would be made public today.

Information Minister Mohammad Ali Durrani said the presidency had suggested to the PPP chairperson to wait for verdicts of the Supreme Court in important cases and hoped that she would reconsider her plan.

If the former prime minister did return she would be treated like any other citizen, he said, adding that she would have her legal rights and the government would deal with her according to the law.