No deal with Musharraf yet, says Benazir

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has said that her party is in contact with the Musharraf regime, but no deal has yet been made.

Islamabad, Aug 22 : Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has said that her party is in contact with the Musharraf regime, but no deal has yet been made.

"If someone says that talks are going on between the government and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) he is right, but if someone says that a deal has been executed between the two sides, he is wrong," Bhutto told Geo television.

"We are endeavouring to reach a consensus but the process is still continuing and no decision has been made so far," she added.

Bhutto urged Musharraf to present a power-sharing reform package by the end of August, and said that her party was becoming jittery with approaching elections.

"We either have a package or we don't have a package," she said. And if we have a package, well, then, we need the measures that we've agreed upon to come into play."

Bhutto said even if there was no deal with Musharraf, she still intended to return to Pakistan and campaign for her party and join other moderate political parties "to try and bring about a transition.

"I hope it doesn't come to a breakdown in the negotiations between General Musharraf and the PPP. But, at the end of the day, we can't afford to be contaminated by his unpopularity without getting the price for democracy," she said.

Commenting on Musharraf's re-election bid from present assemblies, Bhutto said that it would be illegal and should be settled by the courts.

Bhutto said that the PPP would never accept Musharraf in uniform, the Daily Times reported.

She said her party was engaged in dialogue with the government for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan, and for holding free and fair elections.

Meanwhile, Amin Fahim, senior leader of the PPP has said that party would not resign from the assemblies at the time of the presidential election, but would not vote for Musharraf's re-election from the present assemblies.

ANI