Benazir advised not to return home

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, APRIL 19. The self-exiled former Pakistan Prime Minister, Ms. Benazir Bhutto, has been advised by her party leaders in Pakistan not to return home until they have drummed up enough public support to prevent the military regime from arresting her. The advice came during a meeting of the Pakistan People's Party's executive and federal council here on Tuesday.

Ms. Bhutto who presided over the meeting, attended by over 40 PPP activists from Pakistan, was told that the situation was not conducive to her immediate return as the Musharraf regime seemed determined to ``harass'' her despite the court verdict in her ``favour''. ``They felt it would be better to wait until after the local elections,'' said Mr. Khawaja Shafique, president of the PPP here. He pointed out that although the elections would

be contested on non-party basis their outcome would be watched keenly as various parties were indirectly backing certain candidates.

The PPP hoped that a poor performance by the Government-backed candidates would raise questions about the Musharraf regime's popularity at grassroots.

``We plan to step up our campaign for a return to democracy and hope to force Gen. Musharraf to respect the deadline set by the Commonwealth for him to call general elections.'' Mr. Shafique denied an Indian news agency report that Ms. Bhutto was willing to nominate Gen. Pervez Musharraf as a party candidate for president.

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