October 1, 2007	Monday	Ramazan 18, 1428

WASHINGTON, Sept 30: Chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party Benazir Bhutto indicated on Sunday that the attempt to make a power-sharing arrangement had failed and she might engage other political forces.

In an interview with CNN, Ms Bhutto hinted that she had met President Pervez Musharraf more than once and every time they met, they “had a very good meeting”.

The PPP chairperson, however, regretted that there were people around President Musharraf who did not want the two parties to reach an understanding and that’s why her talks with the government were not fruitful.

Ms Bhutto said she was facing pressure from within her party and from her supporters to discontinue the talks and reach out to other political forces for a joint struggle for the restoration of democracy.

“I am under pressure and worried that the time is running out,” she added.

Ms Bhutto said a week ago, she was hopeful about reaching an understanding with the government, but so far Islamabad had not taken any of the confidence-building measures she had suggested.

When CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked Ms Bhutto if she had met Gen Musharraf, she said that every time she had a meeting with him, “we had a very good meeting, but people around him do not want” these talks to succeed.

“This means, you are acknowledging that you met him,” asked the CNN anchor. “Well, don’t push me to say that we have met,” she responded.

“I take it to mean that you have met him,” Mr Blitzer asked. Ms Bhutto smiled but did not respond.
Asked if she was afraid that she could become a target for the Taliban, Al Qaeda or the army when she returned to Pakistan, Ms Bhutto said she was aware of the threats but her decision to return was “final”.

She said that as a former prime minister she deserved state protection and hoped that the government would provide it.
Ms Bhutto said that her return was different from that of Nawaz Sharif who had already been convicted while she was not a convict.