Benazir Bhutto confirmed on Wednesday that she would return home on Thursday, after eight years of self-imposed exile, despite government pressure to delay her homecoming. "Yes, I am going," she told reporters here when asked if she would fly to Karachi on Thursday, as planned.
"As I prepare to leave... I pray to God... to bring democracy to my country ... and fulfil the aspirations of the people of my country," she said. Her one aide had earlier told AFP that she would not delay her return under any circumstances. "She is not cowardly. She is prepared to face any situation. She is the daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto," said Mohammad Akram Farooqui, president of Pakistan People's Party in UAE.
Benazir, who has lived in Dubai and London since avoiding her return home, has said she fears that retired army officers may be plotting to kill her, as the government of President Pervez Musharraf ratcheted up the pressure on her to delay her return.
Farooqui said a delegation of PPP officials accompanied by journalists would fly into Dubai from London to join Benazir on her return flight on Thursday.
NNI ADDS: Former Prime Minister and PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto vowed to root out extremism if comes to power in the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Benazir Bhutto said that she is concerned at the growing incidents of terrorism in the country. Benazir Bhutto said that the government has been advising her not to return but said, "I have to go back as I have promised with the people of Pakistan to return."
"I have a set date. The government may be sincere in its advice to me but I will retuurn to my country", she added. Benazir Bhutto said, "I have been in exile for eight years. I had not given a date for return. But now when I have given a date, I will have to honour it. I can not break my words to the people of Pakistan".
Talking about her negotiations with President General Pervez Musharraf, she said that the dialogue process was aimed at campaigning for democracy and civilian rule. Benazir Bhutto said that she had said in August that General Musharraf will doff uniform and now General Musharraf has promised before the Supreme Court to put off uniform before taking oath as President.
"It is a victory of the people of Pakistan. He (General Musharraf) has pledged publicly," she said. She recalled that all parties took part in 2002 elections despite an uniformed President at that time and even General Musharraf had not promised to remove uniform.
"The PPP was firmed against a dictator. We have fought against the civilian and military dictators". Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Quaid-i-Awam Zulfikar Ali Bhutto wanted democracy. "I am going back to Pakistan to bring true democracy and to end extremism," she said.
She said that she wants to serve the people by solving their problems. She blamed that national wealth was being spent on such projects, which are not people oriented. She pointed out that unemployment has increased and people are deprived of basic amenities of life. She claimed that PPPP is still the largest political party of the country and it believes in the people's strength. The PPPP chairperson expressed her determination to eliminate dictatorship and restore peace at the borders.
She said that only democracy provides solution of all the problems and she is striving for that. She said that democracy and uniform could not go together. She warned that people would strongly protest if the forthcoming elections were rigged. Benazir Bhutto said she adopted the path of dialogue with the rulers to bring democracy in the country.
The opposition leader announced that her party will take part in the elections and suggested other parties not to boycott them. About threats to her life on arrival in the country, she said Islam forbids attack on women and suicide bombing. "Those who want to bring change should not follow the path of death and destruction and plant roadside bombs. Differences should be resolved through dialogues.
The PPPP leader expressed dissatisfaction over law and order situation in the country and said situation is very bad from Karachi to Waziristan. Besides internal stability she will endeavour to make the country's defence stronger.
To a question she said that she has not been convicted by any court. She appreciated that MQM will not create any hindrance in the welcome processions. Benazir Bhutto thanked the government of UAE for facilitating her stay therein. Benazir's husband Asif Zardari, her two daughters Bakhtawar and Asifa and Makhdoom Amin Faheem were also present during the press conference, which was attended by a large number of foreign and Pakistani reporters.
"As I prepare to leave. I pray to God to bring democracy to my country and fulfil the aspirations of the people of my country," she said. ''My party and I will rebuild civil society and set up infrastructure for providing education and livelihood at grass-roots levels, so that the country's youth can take part in building a strong economy,'' Ms Bhutto said.
To a question how she intends to take on pro-Taliban and radical movements in the Northwest territories, urban areas, madras, mosques etc, Ms Bhutto said,'' I believe that the absence of political parties causes a vacuum that the extremists fill.
''The key to successfully controlling fanaticism in the border areas is to make citizens aware of the dangers that extremists pose and to build a groundswell of support for the government, so that Pakistan can control the militants.
''I have moved the Supreme Court to allow political parties to function in Fata. We should recall that both PPP governments, from 1988-1990 and 1993-1996, aggressively administered these territories, and purged them of the most egregious drug barons that formed an international drug cartel. We will once again have open interactions with their constituencies; learn what they need to improve their lives and then to work toward developing policies that delivers those needs.
Fostering a better level of trust and understanding among the people in the border areas, and delivering on their key needs, is the key to improving our security situation.
When she was asked if President Musharraf does not honour the agreement, how does she expect to advance her agenda, Ms Bhutto said,'' I sincerely hope that General Musharraf will listen to the public outcry and the people's desire for legitimate presidential, parliamentary and ministerial elections.
However, if he chooses to continue tampering with the constitution, he will face a fresh confrontation with the judiciary, the legal community and the political parties. The PPP will, however, continue to fight for what it believes in democracy and civil rights.
To another question, PPP chairperson said,'' I have been told that there is a threat to my life if I go back. But I must tell those who would hurt me that I will not be intimidated. I do not fear the extremists, for I have put my fate in the hands of the people of Pakistan, and my faith in God.
Responding to a question Benazir Bhutto regretted that the Supreme Court did not take notice when Dr Abdul Qadir Khan disclosed atomic secrets on television nor it paid any heed to the deal between the government and Nawaz Sharif on the intervention of a friendly country.
"The threat of suicide bombing is there. There are two or three groups of suicide bombers operating in Karachi, according to intelligence reports," Sindh home secretary Ghulam Mohammad Mohtarram told AFP.
The groups were linked to Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network, Afghanistan's hard-line Taliban militia and a Pakistani pro-Taliban militant leader who has reportedly threatened to "welcome" Benazir with suicide bombers, he said. "Whatever we can do we will do for the protection of Benazir Bhutto. The person of Benazir Bhutto will be covered. But it will be very difficult to prevent such bombings if they happen in the mob," he said.