LAHORE, June 18: PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto is believed to have de-linked her return to Pakistan from the announcement of the election schedule, and is determined to come back even if the electoral process is delayed.

A party source claims that Ms Bhutto has performed Umra in view of her engagements in the weeks and months to come, which may not allow her time for such a religious journey which many people undertake to pray for the success of their missions.

So far, the PPP chairperson, living in self-imposed exile since 1999, has consistently been saying that she will return to her country only after the schedule for the general elections is announced.

“Her return to Pakistan is no longer linked with the election schedule,” said a senior party leader.

The source said Benazir Bhutto had directed the party leaders at all tiers to prepare themselves for the polls.

It is said that the PPP chairperson will finalise party candidates for the next elections at a meeting in London in July. She wants to prepare the party for the polls in all respects before returning to Pakistan so that the party is in a position to win even if she is arrested.

According to one source, Ms Bhutto will announce her schedule to return to Pakistan after Aug 15.

The source said there was also a “slight flexibility” in Ms Bhutto’s attitude towards the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA). Previously, she was not willing to sit with the religious alliance at any cost, but now she had nominated a party delegation to participate in the multi-party conference (MPC) being hosted by the PML-N in London in July, where the MMA leaders will also be present.

Her willingness to send a delegation to represent the PPP at the MPC was indicative of flexibility in her thinking, the source said.

Asked on what condition could the PPP chairperson agree to herself participate in the MPC, the source said it was for the MMA to think as to what they should do to make it possible for the former prime minister to turn up. “The ball is in their court.”

The source said at present the MMA was part of the Balochistan coalition, adding the religious alliance would be considered as part of the opposition if they quit the setup.

Questioned if the PPP chairperson could agree to hold talks with the MMA leadership to explore the possibility of mutual cooperation, the source recalled that she had never refused talks to anyone.

The former prime minister, the source said, had talked even to those who had demanded that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto be hanged and who had instituted cases against her. However, in the prevailing situation it was for the MMA to find out the modalities of cooperation.

Meanwhile, PPP leaders met here on Monday to find out suitable candidates for the national and provincial seats of Gujranwala division.

The party’s Lahore organisation also met to prepare recommendations about candidates for the seats in the metropolis.

A committee will finalise recommendations about candidates for the city on Wednesday (tomorrow).