Bhutto open to sharing power with Musharraf

UNITED STATES: Former two-time Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto said she was open to a power-sharing arrangement with embattled President Pervez Musharraf, but only if Musharraf gives up his concurrent role as head of the military.

Bhutto told CNN that her longtime rival would have to ensure a balance of power between the parliament and the presidency if she were to resume the premiership after elections expected early next year with Musharraf still president.

"There would need to be a balance between the powers of the presidency and the powers of the parliament," Bhutto told the US network.

But she said that Musharraf would have to give up his military role.

"When the president of a country also wears the uniform it blurs the distinction between democracy and military rules. So I think it's very important for general Musharraf to take off the uniform."

"There are many issues to be discussed: whether the elections are going to be fair; whether the reforms are going to be implemented; whether restrictive bans on the prime minister being elected a third time are going to be lifted," she said.

"I still believe if we can get an agreement for a smooth transfer of power and get a balance of power between the presidency and the parliament, we would be able to come up with a situation where we can undermine terrorism and address the real needs of the people, which I believe are now being neglected."

Bhutto, who has lived in self-imposed exile in London and Dubai since 1998 due to corruption allegations against her, refused to confirm or deny that she met with Musharraf in Abu Dhabi on Friday to strike a deal on her return and the possible shape of a future government.

"I would like to just confine myself to saying that there have been contacts between the military regime and the Pakistan People's Party, including myself, and that we have been trying to search for a solution that could take Pakistan peacefully toward a democratic set-up.

"I think it is important that the talks succeed. But we haven't reached there just yet." Bhutto, 54, served as Pakistan's prime minister from 1988-1990, and again from 1993-1996. She admitted there were legal impediments to her return to lead her Pakistan People's Party in the elections.

She said the government had refused to rule on her petition against a legal decision made while she was in exile that blocks her participation in elections.

"I have waited five years and this petition should come. I'm more hopeful that our courts are asserting their independence that this petition of mine will be heard, set aside, pave the way for my participation..

She also expressed doubts about Musharraf's willingness to ensure a fair election.

"My concern is that if the elections are rigged, there will public protests, and certainly the extremists will try to take advantage by creating anarchy and chaos.

"And Pakistan can't afford that, not with the threat within and the threat the extremists are using our territory, imposing on Afghanistan."

Bhutto meanwhile objected to the idea that US forces might attack suspected Al-Qaeda and Taliban bases inside Pakistan without Islamabad's approval.

"I don't think it would be right to violate Pakistan's sovereignty by unauthorized military action.

"But I do believe that Pakistan and the United States and NATO and Afghanistan must work very closely together in restoring law and order to the tribal badlands in Pakistan which are undermining Pakistan's standing in the international community, giving rise to a threat to Pakistan's internal well-being as well as aggravating our relations with nearby Afghanistan.

"We cannot tolerate people using our soil to mount attacks on NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan."

Washington, Monday, AFP