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| Ex-PM Bhutto arrives in Pakistan | Ex-PM Bhutto arrives in Pakistan |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| Pakistan's ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has arrived in Karachi after eight years of self-imposed exile. | Pakistan's ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has arrived in Karachi after eight years of self-imposed exile. |
| Ms Bhutto is set to hold power-sharing talks with President Pervez Musharraf, which could see her becoming PM again. | Ms Bhutto is set to hold power-sharing talks with President Pervez Musharraf, which could see her becoming PM again. |
| Her return was greeted by about 200,000 supporters who packed the area surrounding the airport and lined the roads leading into the city. | Her return was greeted by about 200,000 supporters who packed the area surrounding the airport and lined the roads leading into the city. |
| There is also a huge security presence amid Islamist threats to assassinate both Ms Bhutto and Gen Musharraf. | There is also a huge security presence amid Islamist threats to assassinate both Ms Bhutto and Gen Musharraf. |
| The BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones was on board the flight carrying Ms Bhutto from Dubai to Karachi, Pakistan's largest city. | The BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones was on board the flight carrying Ms Bhutto from Dubai to Karachi, Pakistan's largest city. |
| The ex-prime minister said that she was "excited and overwhelmed" to be back in Pakistan, our correspondent said. | The ex-prime minister said that she was "excited and overwhelmed" to be back in Pakistan, our correspondent said. |
| The streets from the airport are packed with peopleEnlarge Image "It just goes to show that miracles can happen," she added. | The streets from the airport are packed with peopleEnlarge Image "It just goes to show that miracles can happen," she added. |
| Ms Bhutto was accompanied by about 100 members of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP). | Ms Bhutto was accompanied by about 100 members of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP). |
| At least 200,000 people have turned out to greet her in Karachi, lining the 6km (four mile) route from the airport into the city. | At least 200,000 people have turned out to greet her in Karachi, lining the 6km (four mile) route from the airport into the city. |
| The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Karachi says many people are dressed in the red, black and green colours of Ms Bhutto's PPP party and there is a carnival atmosphere, with music playing and food stalls in place. | The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan in Karachi says many people are dressed in the red, black and green colours of Ms Bhutto's PPP party and there is a carnival atmosphere, with music playing and food stalls in place. |
| However, there were some scuffles ahead of Mrs Bhutto's arrival, our correspondent says, as a number of people broke through a police cordon to enter the grounds of the airport. | However, there were some scuffles ahead of Mrs Bhutto's arrival, our correspondent says, as a number of people broke through a police cordon to enter the grounds of the airport. |
| Assassination threat | Assassination threat |
| 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, due to security concerns. | 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, due to security concerns. |
| But Ms Bhutto said before leaving that she was undeterred: "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 before leaving that she was undeterred: "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." |
| 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 |
| About 20,000 troops and police have been deployed in the city to oversee Ms Bhutto's arrival amid threats by Islamist militants to assassinate both her and Gen Musharraf. | About 20,000 troops and police have been deployed in the city to oversee Ms Bhutto's arrival amid threats by Islamist militants to assassinate both her and Gen Musharraf. |
| Some 2,500 paramilitary troops have been deployed around the airport, according to one security spokesman. | Some 2,500 paramilitary troops have been deployed around the airport, according to one security spokesman. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Tackling extremists | Tackling extremists |
| 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." href="/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/south_asia_pakistanis_react_to_bhutto0s_return/html/1.stm" onClick="window.open('http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/south_asia_pakistanis_react_to_bhutto0s_return/html/1.stm', '1192699811', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=500,height=400,left=312,top=100'); return false;" >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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |