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| Huge crowds greet Bhutto return | Huge crowds greet Bhutto return |
| (39 minutes later) | |
| Benazir Bhutto has begun a triumphant open-top bus procession from Karachi airport to the city centre, after her dramatic return to Pakistan. | |
| Hundreds of thousands of people are packing the streets, hoping to glimpse the ex-prime minister, who has returned from eight years of self-imposed exile. | |
| She is set to hold power-sharing talks with President Pervez Musharraf, which could see her becoming PM again. | She is set to hold power-sharing talks with President Pervez Musharraf, which could see her becoming PM again. |
| There is a huge security presence amid Islamist assassination threats. | There is a huge security presence amid Islamist assassination threats. |
| I could not believe that this day that I have counted the hours, the minutes, the months and the years to, had finally arrived Benazir Bhutto In pictures: Bhutto returns Send us your comments | I could not believe that this day that I have counted the hours, the minutes, the months and the years to, had finally arrived Benazir Bhutto In pictures: Bhutto returns Send us your comments |
| Ms Bhutto was accompanied on the flight from Dubai by about 100 members of her Pakistan People's Party (PPP). | Ms Bhutto was accompanied on the flight from Dubai 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. |
| Ms Bhutto is travelling in convoy to the tomb of Pakistan's founding father, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, where she plans to make a speech. | Ms Bhutto is travelling in convoy to the tomb of Pakistan's founding father, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, where she plans to make a speech. |
| "It's an extremely moving and emotional moment for me," Ms Bhutto told the BBC after her arrival in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city. | "It's an extremely moving and emotional moment for me," Ms Bhutto told the BBC after her arrival in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city. |
| "I was looking forward to it for so long, and when I actually landed here I was overcome with my emotions. I could not believe that this day that I have counted the hours, the minutes, the months and the years to, had finally arrived." | "I was looking forward to it for so long, and when I actually landed here I was overcome with my emotions. I could not believe that this day that I have counted the hours, the minutes, the months and the years to, had finally arrived." |
| Enduring popularity | Enduring popularity |
| 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. |
| The size of the crowd on the streets means her convoy is making very slow progress, often being forced to stop entirely as cheering supporters surge forward. | The size of the crowd on the streets means her convoy is making very slow progress, often being forced to stop entirely as cheering supporters surge forward. |
| When she first stepped onto Pakistani soil at Karachi airport Ms Bhutto was overcome with emotion and burst into tears, but now she is standing at the front of the vehicle waving and smiling to the crowds below. | When she first stepped onto Pakistani soil at Karachi airport Ms Bhutto was overcome with emotion and burst into tears, but now she is standing at the front of the vehicle waving and smiling to the crowds below. |
| KEY DATES 06 Oct: Presidential polls held 17 Oct: Supreme Court resumes hearing challenges to Musharraf candidacy 18 Oct: Benazir Bhutto's homecoming 15 Nov: Parliamentary term ends and general election must be held by mid-January Flying into uncertainty | KEY DATES 06 Oct: Presidential polls held 17 Oct: Supreme Court resumes hearing challenges to Musharraf candidacy 18 Oct: Benazir Bhutto's homecoming 15 Nov: Parliamentary term ends and general election must be held by mid-January Flying into uncertainty |
| Many of them have been bussed in from outlying areas by Ms Bhutto's PPP - a show of organisational strength which the ex-prime minister hopes will boost her chances of a return to power, correspondents report. | Many of them have been bussed in from outlying areas by Ms Bhutto's PPP - a show of organisational strength which the ex-prime minister hopes will boost her chances of a return to power, correspondents report. |
| The BBC's Damian Grammaticas, in Karachi, says that despite being away for eight years, Ms Bhutto is still enormously popular and enjoys great support, as a scion of Pakistan's pre-eminent political dynasty. | The BBC's Damian Grammaticas, in Karachi, says that despite being away for eight years, Ms Bhutto is still enormously popular and enjoys great support, as a scion of Pakistan's pre-eminent political dynasty. |
| 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. |
| Tackling extremists | Tackling extremists |
| 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. |
| "She is the mediocre daughter of a great leader."In pictures | "She is the mediocre daughter of a great leader."In pictures |
| 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. |
| However, the Supreme Court said he could not be officially declared the winner until it had finished ruling on objections to his candidacy. | However, the Supreme Court said 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. |