Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, waves to awaiting supporters as she disembarks her airplane that brought her from Dubai, upon her arrival in Karachi, Pakistan, Thursday Oct. 18, 2007. Bhutto returned Thursday to Pakistan, ending eight years of exile and launching what she hopes will be a stunning political comeback, as tens of thousands of supporters gathered to greet her amid massive security. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)
Bhutto returns to Pakistan after exile
By PAISLEY DODDS, Associated Press Writer
15 minutes ago
KARACHI, Pakistan - Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan Thursday, ending eight years of exile with hopes of campaigning for a record third premiership — perhaps in tandem with the country's U.S.-backed military president.
Tens of thousands of supporters greeted Bhutto amid massive security. She was in tears as she descended the steps of the commercial flight from Dubai that brought her back.
When an Associated Press reporter asked her how it felt to be home, Bhutto, wearing a white headscarf and clutching prayer beads in her right hand, said it felt "good. Very good."
Bhutto, who fled Pakistan in the face of corruption charges in 1999, has chosen to come home during a period of particular uncertainty in Pakistan, as the popularity of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has waned and violence by Islamic radicals has been on the rise.
Authorities have mounted a massive security operation to protect the 54-year-old from possible attack by militants. But the precautions failed to dampen the spirit of huge crowds forming in Karachi.
Hundreds of buses and other vehicles festooned with billboards welcoming her back were parked bumper-to-bumper along the boulevard from the airport to the city center. A huge red, green and black flag of her Pakistan People's Party hung from one apartment block overlooking the route.
Supporters including representatives of Pakistan's minority Christian and Hindu communities and Baluch tribesmen with flowing white turbans, walked toward the airport, while groups of men performed traditional dances, beat drums or shook maracas along the way.
Azad Bhatti, a 35-year-old poultry farmer from the southern city of Hyderabad said he had "blind faith" in Bhutto's leadership.
"When Benazir Bhutto is in power there is no bomb blast because she provides jobs and there is no frustration among the people," he said. "whatever she thinks is for the betterment of the people."
Bhutto paved her route back in negotiations with President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup. Musharraf is promising to give up his command of Pakistan's powerful army if he secures a new term as president.
The talks have yielded an amnesty covering the corruption cases that made Bhutto leave Pakistan in the first place, and could see the archrivals eventually team up to fight al-Qaida and the Taliban.
Before boarding her flight from Dubai, Bhutto told reporters that her homecoming felt like a miracle.
"I hope that, as this miracle is happening, that a miracle will happen for the impoverished and poverty-stricken people of Pakistan who are desperate for change, who want safety, who want security, who want opportunity, who want empowerment and employment," she said.
Outside Karachi airport, police baton-charged one group of supporters who approached the VIP terminal, where Bhutto was expected to arrive after landing. But with the crowds swelling, they later relaxed the cordon and let thousands of flag-waving PPP partisans to gather round the building.
Raza Hussain Shah, a senior police officer at the airport, said 20,000 officers were deployed there and along the route into the city. Officials said police bomb squads and thousands of paramilitary troops and party volunteers were also charged with maintaining security.
Bhutto, whose two elected governments between 1988 and 1996 were toppled amid allegations of corruption and mismanagement, hopes to lead her secular, liberal party to victory in parliamentary elections in January.
Many Pakistani are skeptical that Bhutto can meet her promises.
"People are intelligent now, they don't buy this rubbish," said Kamran Saleen, a 38-year-old businessman who lives near Karachi airport. "They know politicians can't make much difference."
Her party is hoping that 1 million people will turn out Thursday to welcome her and get her campaign rolling. Few observers expect such a massive gathering. Karachi police chief Azhar Farooqi said at least 75,000 party supporters were in the city — still a turnout few of her rivals could muster.
The risk of political clashes in this city of 15 million people famed for them has been eased by the apparent willingness of the Mutahida Qaumi Movement, a pro-Musharraf party that dominates Karachi, to accord her a peaceful welcome.
Instead, authorities were warning of the threat of suicide attacks and roadside bombings by Islamic militants.
Officials had appealed to Bhutto to abandon plans for a snail-paced procession to the tomb of Pakistan's founding father, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, where she plans to make an address.
Babar Awan, a PPP leader mixing with the crowds, said the party rejected a proposal that she cover the 10 miles in a helicopter instead of a truck mounted with a bulletproof glass cubicle specially prepared for her.
Bhutto, who shares Musharraf's support of the U.S.-led war on terrorism, brushed off the concerns.
"I am not scared. I am thinking of my mission," she told reporters on the plane. "This is a movement for democracy because we are under threat from extremists and militants."
Musharraf has seen his popularity plunge since a failed attempt to oust the country's top judge in the spring. The rapprochement with Bhutto appears aimed at boosting his political base as he vies to extend his rule.
He easily won a vote by lawmakers Oct. 6 to give him a new five-year presidential term.
The Supreme Court, however, has ruled that Musharraf's victory can only become official once it rules on challenges to the legality of his re-election.
At a hearing Thursday, presiding Justice Javed Iqbal said the court hoped to issue a ruling within 10 to 12 days.
The court is also examining the legality of the amnesty.
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Associated Press writers Paiseley Dodds, Ashraf Khan and Afzal Nadeem in Karachi, Sadaqat Jan and Zarar Khan in Islamabad and Barbara Surk in Dubai contributed to this report.