We talked to Musharraf to avert marital law: Bhutto

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto has said that her party had opened the door of dialogue for President Pervez Muhsarraf because they dont want martial law to be imposed in Pakistan.

Lahore, Sep 13 : Pakistan People's Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto has said that her party had opened the door of dialogue for President Pervez Muhsarraf because they don't want martial law to be imposed in Pakistan.

"We have averted such a disaster (martial law), and we have done so because we always kept the doors of dialogue open for a peaceful political transition towards democracy in our country," the Daily Times quoted Bhutto, as saying.

Commenting on her return to Pakistan, she said: "I would be returning to Pakistan, whether there is an understanding or not."

"We want to announce it from the soil of Pakistan," Bhutto added.

Talking about the much-touted power sharing deal with Musharraf, she said, "We haven't still come to a point where an agreement can be reached. Many people in his party are against the democratisation of Pakistan."

"We are running out of time, as elections are coming up. But. the window is not completely shut," Bhutto added.

Taking a cue from a recently conducted poll, the PPP leader said: "The PPP leaders and I are most popular in the country, more popular than even former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif,"

Bhutto denied that she was courting Musharraf to get the corruption charges against her dropped, .

"They (Musharraf regime) would be only too happy to do it, just like they dropped the corruption charges against Sharif and limited his sentence. If it was an issue of just charges, they would have been dropped and my husband and I would have led a smooth life with our three children," she said.

She also denied that she was "extending a lifeline to a sinking dictator".

"We are not supporting him (Musharraf). We are supporting a transition to democracy and the holding of fair elections and electing a viable parliament," Bhutto said.

ANI