End of Exile: Benazir Plans Return Home Today
By Tabinda al-Ghazala ‘Pakistan Times’ Foreign Correspondent

DUBAI (United Arab Emirates): Pakistan’s ex-Prime Minister and PPP Chairperson Ms Benazir Bhutto has said that she wanted to serve people of Pakistan and would return home today, Thursday after eight years of self-imposed exile.

"Yes, I am going," she told reporters in Dubai when asked if she would fly to Karachi on Thursday as planned.

Addressing a press conference, Ms Benazir Bhutto said, "Nobody can keep me away from Pakistan. I have heard this morning that more than a million people are gathering in Karachi to welcome me."

“I will keep my promise of returning to Pakistan. It is true the government has been trying to keep me away from home but I have decided to return nevertheless," Benazir said.

"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, madrassas, 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 of Pakistan 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 deliver 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 Benazir Bhutto said, ''I sincerely hope that Gen. Musharraf will listen to the public outcry and the people's desire for legitimate elections.

The PPP will, however, continue to fight for what it believes in: democracy and civil rights.

Yet 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”.●