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| Crowds gather for Bhutto return | Crowds gather for Bhutto return |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Supporters of Pakistan's ex-PM Benazir Bhutto are gathering in Karachi in expectation of her historic return from eight years of self-imposed exile. | Supporters of Pakistan's ex-PM Benazir Bhutto are gathering in Karachi in expectation of her historic return from eight years of self-imposed exile. |
| She is due to fly back to her homeland after entering into power-sharing talks with President Pervez Musharraf. | She is due to fly back to her homeland after entering into power-sharing talks with President Pervez Musharraf. |
| About 20,000 troops and police have been deployed in Karachi amid threats by Islamist militants to assassinate both Ms Bhutto and the president. | About 20,000 troops and police have been deployed in Karachi amid threats by Islamist militants to assassinate both Ms Bhutto and the president. |
| Ms Bhutto left the country soon after Gen Musharraf seized power in a coup. | Ms Bhutto left the country soon after Gen Musharraf seized power in a coup. |
| The former prime minister has now reportedly left her home in Dubai to begin her journey to Karachi. | |
| Javed Iqbal Cheema, a Pakistani interior ministry official, said he was confident about security arrangements. | Javed Iqbal Cheema, a Pakistani interior ministry official, said he was confident about security arrangements. |
| "I'm sure the [provincial] government will take all possible measures to provide foolproof security arrangements which I'm told are already in place," he said. | "I'm sure the [provincial] government will take all possible measures to provide foolproof security arrangements which I'm told are already in place," he said. |
| Some 2,500 paramilitary troops have been deployed around Karachi airport alone, according to one security spokesman. | Some 2,500 paramilitary troops have been deployed around Karachi airport alone, according to one security spokesman. |
| Procession | Procession |
| Gen Musharraf had asked Ms Bhutto to delay her return until the Supreme Court decided whether he was eligible to serve as president for another term. | Gen Musharraf had asked Ms Bhutto to delay her return until the Supreme Court decided whether he was eligible to serve as president for another term. |
| KEY DATES 06 Oct: Presidential polls held 17 Oct: Supreme Court resumes hearing challenges to Musharraf candidacy 18 Oct: Date ex-PM Benazir Bhutto has set for her homecoming 15 Nov: Parliamentary term ends and general election must be held by mid-January In pictures: Karachi prepares Flying into uncertainty | KEY DATES 06 Oct: Presidential polls held 17 Oct: Supreme Court resumes hearing challenges to Musharraf candidacy 18 Oct: Date ex-PM Benazir Bhutto has set for her homecoming 15 Nov: Parliamentary term ends and general election must be held by mid-January In pictures: Karachi prepares Flying into uncertainty |
| However, the former prime minister has stuck to Thursday as the day for her arrival. | However, the former prime minister has stuck to Thursday as the day for her arrival. |
| Ms Bhutto told journalists in Dubai she was hoping that hundreds of thousands of supporters would turn out in Karachi. | Ms Bhutto told journalists in Dubai she was hoping that hundreds of thousands of supporters would turn out in Karachi. |
| Celebratory gunfire has already been heard overnight. On Thursday, schools and many roads will be closed in Pakistan's biggest city. | |
| The BBC's Barbara Plett in Karachi says every billboard on the road to the airport carries a picture of Ms Bhutto and that tens of thousands of people have been bussed in to show support. | |
| Authorities have tried to persuade Ms Bhutto not to undertake a long procession through Karachi to the tomb of Pakistan's founding father, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, where she plans an address. | |
| But Ms Bhutto said: "I do not believe that any true Muslim will make an attack on me because Islam forbids attacks on women and Muslims know that if they attack a woman they will burn in hell." | But Ms Bhutto said: "I do not believe that any true Muslim will make an attack on me because Islam forbids attacks on women and Muslims know that if they attack a woman they will burn in hell." |
| One supporter in Karachi, Dana Ram, told Agence France-Presse news agency: "We began walking here 12 days ago, but this is nothing compared with Benazir's sacrifices for us." | |
| Another supporter, fishmonger Habibullah, told AP: "She's a blessing for the poor people of Pakistan... Our sister is coming and we're not afraid of anything." | |
| US support | |
| Gen Musharraf easily won a presidential vote on 6 October after opposition deputies in the national and provincial assemblies - which choose the president - either boycotted or abstained from the vote. | Gen Musharraf easily won a presidential vote on 6 October after opposition deputies in the national and provincial assemblies - which choose the president - either boycotted or abstained from the vote. |
| She is the mediocre daughter of a great leader.In pictures | |
| However, the Supreme Court said that he could not be officially declared the winner until it had finished ruling on objections to his candidacy. | However, the Supreme Court said that he could not be officially declared the winner until it had finished ruling on objections to his candidacy. |
| Washington has backed a power-sharing deal with Gen Musharraf which would see Ms Bhutto becoming prime minister. | Washington has backed a power-sharing deal with Gen Musharraf which would see Ms Bhutto becoming prime minister. |
| It has become increasingly concerned over the military's inability to defeat Islamist extremists and Gen Musharraf's rising unpopularity. | It has become increasingly concerned over the military's inability to defeat Islamist extremists and Gen Musharraf's rising unpopularity. |
| Ms Bhutto's negotiators have three main demands: | Ms Bhutto's negotiators have three main demands: |
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| Gen Musharraf met the first of those demands in an ordinance signed on 5 October but the Supreme Court says it needs to decide if it is legal. | |
| If it rules against it, then Ms Bhutto could face arrest and prosecution on corruption charges dating back several years. | If it rules against it, then Ms Bhutto could face arrest and prosecution on corruption charges dating back several years. |
| Mr Sharif tried to return to Pakistan on 10 September. | Mr Sharif tried to return to Pakistan on 10 September. |
| He was arrested by the authorities as he stepped off the plane in Islamabad, charged with money-laundering and immediately put on a flight to Saudi Arabia. | He was arrested by the authorities as he stepped off the plane in Islamabad, charged with money-laundering and immediately put on a flight to Saudi Arabia. |