Situation in Pakistan is precarious: Bhutto

Washington, May 19: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has said the situation in Pakistan is precarious and ''it's threatening to spiral out of control.'' In a telephonic-interview to VOA, she however said, ''I think the regime still has initiative in its hands, but it needs to take certain political steps and be ready to make political compromises. But if it sticks to its stand and refuses to negotiate with the opposition, and tries to suppress the opposition movement, then I think the matter will just spiral out of hand.'' The VOA report says the stage appears set for such a confrontation and in support of its argument it quotes President Pervez Musharraf's interview to Pakistan's private Aaj news channel in which he had said Ms Bhutto and another exiled former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, will not be allowed to return to compete in the national elections scheduled for later this year.

''About their return, no, nobody is returning before elections,'' he said.

But, Bhutto says she will defy the president's ban, and may do it sooner than she had originally planned. ''I certainly plan to go back later this year,'' she said.

''I was planning to do that against the background of the elections. But I am now reviewing the situation in Pakistan. The events are turning over so quickly that I might have to revise my own plans in the coming weeks. I may have to go back sooner. I have taken no such decision as yet. And if the regime fails to take the initiative in defusing the situation, then I may have to review my travel plans.''

UNI

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