BHUTTO: Many in my party have been urging me to distance myself from General Musharraf. They say his popularity ratings are down. But I am trying to convince them that the international community and the armed forces have confidence in Musharraf, and therefore we need to work out a solution [with him].
Now we are at a critical point where I am being tuggedbetween those in my party who believe in dialogue and those who think that time is running out.
There is a package: we want a balance of power, reforms for a fair election, lifting of the ban on a twice-elected prime minister, as well as immunity for all holders of public office [in cases] where there are unproven charges that go back for a decade or two.
I told him that we could not have a working arrangement with the chief of Army staff. His term finishes either this November or December, so we are concerned that there should not be an extension of it.
One is the power of the president to sack the Parliament at his discretion. This power was used in the ’90s to destabilize democracy. In 10 years we had 10 governments.
We believe this was actually done at the request of the security services. The political parties were discredited and the militants grew in strength.
What stands between us right now is [the absence of] confidence-building steps which were promised and which we want done by the end of the month.
Lifting the ban on a twice-elected prime minister.
He said yes to that in July. And also immunity to holders of public office from 1988 to 2000. He said yes to that in January of this year.
He doesn’t want our support, but he doesn’t want us going out in the streets and agitating against him.
Their message is: we want the stability of Pakistan, fair elections, and General Musharraf is our ally.
Yes, [but] I advised him that it was better not to seek election from this assembly. He has a different perspective.
I say that I controlled the Army better than any of the others: when I was prime minister, the tribal areas were part of Pakistan. Now their control has been ceded to militants and pro-Taliban forces.
Yes, but I don’t want the security services to disagree with my attack on internal militancy and get him to sack the Parliament once again. Which is why the president must give up the power [to fire the Parliament]. In a perfect situation the prime minister should have the power over the armed services. But in this transition period, if Musharraf is still commander in chief of the armed forces, he will still appoint the Army chiefs.
Yes. He’s getting back to me by the end of the month. He has to decide. The person stopping him is [Muslim League president] Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain. He is telling Musharraf to go with the religious parties, and [saying that] we can get you re-elected and we don’t need the PPP.
If our negotiations with Musharraf fall apart, we can always turn to the other political party.
I’m planning to go back between September and December. I need be there to strengthen my party and the moderate forces.
I understand he may try to use state forces to stop me. There is a risk, but I am prepared to take it.
