NEW YORK, Aug 23: PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto on Thursday welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court allowing Sharif brothers to return home to take part in elections.

In a statement, Ms Bhutto said that although “we know that they left Pakistan following an agreement with the government, we believe all citizens of Pakistan should be allowed to participate in elections.”

Ms Bhutto, in New York to be with her ailing husband and her children, also called upon the government to allow Mr Sharif and his brother Shahbaz to return home.

Earlier, in a short interview with Dawn, Ms Bhutto reiterated her demand that President Pervez Musharraf announce what she called confidence-building measures to facilitate her and Mr Nawaz Sharif’s return to contest elections.

Amir Wasim adds from Islamabad: A senior PPP leader on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict and said it would not affect party chairperson Benazir Bhutto’s return plan to the country.

Talking to Dawn on Thursday, former senator Farhatullah Babar said: “Our plans will be in accordance with the recommendation of a high-powered committee of the party which met on Wednesday, and the recommendation is subject to approval by the Central Executive Committee meeting which is expected to be held in the last week of the current month,” Mr Babar said.