Bhutto says no deal yet with Pakistan's Musharraf

LONDON, Sept 1 (Reuters) Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said today she had not yet reached a power-sharing deal with President Pervez Musharraf but will return to Pakistan ''very soon''.

''No understanding has been arrived at,'' she told a news conference in London of her negotiations with Musharraf that would see him quit as army chief and Bhutto return to become prime minister.

''I will be going back to Pakistan very soon,'' she said, adding the date of her return will be announced in Pakistan.

Bhutto met with colleagues from her popular Pakistan People's Party in London on Saturday to decide their next step as Musharraf weighs his options ahead of elections he hopes will return him to office for another five-year term.

With his popularity plummeting and challenges to his rule mounting, army chief Musharraf is trying to line up support.

He has turned to Bhutto for help to broaden his base.

Both Bhutto and a government minister this week raised the prospect Musharraf might quit the army before elections, expected between mid-September and mid-October, as Bhutto has demanded.

Bhutto, who has corruption charges hanging over her, also wants immunity for officials who served in the late 1980s and 1990s.

REUTERS SLD RAI1855