Bhutto hopes for peaceful revival of democracy in Pak

NEW DELHI: Unsure whether President Pervez Musharraf was leading her "up the garden path", former premier Benazir Bhutto hopes that the Pakistan Supreme Court would facilitate "peaceful revival" of the Constitution and restoration of democratic process.

At the same time, the London-based Bhutto admitted that she was "talking" with Musharraf with whom there is a "lot of agreement" on several issues while "one or two still are outstanding".

She said there was no agreement "yet" with Musharraf paving the way for her return to Pakistan ahead of general elections slated later this year.

"Everything the regime says it would do is post presidential, prime ministerial and parliamentary elections. And my party (Pakistan People's Party) does not want to be led up the garden path," she said in an interview to YaleGlobal Online.

Any attempt by General Musharraf to manipulate the elections will lead to a far bigger internal crisis with far reaching repercussions, Bhutto warned.

She hoped that the negotiations or intervention by the Supreme Court of Pakistan would yield some facilitative and peaceful revival of the constitution, restoration of democratic process, and a redress of people's socio-economic needs so that terrorism and militancy can be undermined.

Bhutto said she found it strange that her successor Nawaz Sharif talked to Musharraf in 2000 and opted for exile, a move according to her prolonged military rule in Pakistan.