DUBAI, Feb 27: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto says she felt distressed after hearing about Interpol’s red notices issued against her and Asif Zardari, and her family was devastated thinking she would be arrested and extradited to Pakistan.

“It was very hard on the children. I was in the United States… when I first heard about it. My daughter was in school and her teacher told her, ‘I am surprised you turned up in school. Don’t you know what’s happened to your parents, it’s all in the newspapers?’ My daughter was worried the whole night, thinking something dreadful had happened to her parents,” the PPP leader told Gulf News in an interview published on Monday.

Benazir said she was afraid and skipped her house the first night after hearing that a warrant had been issued, but later she shrugged off the threat.

“Back in the US, I was told that I would be arrested and extradited to Pakistan. So I spent that night with a relative. But the following day, I had to deliver a lecture. I said to myself, whatever is going to happen, will happen. I decided to attend the lecture,” she said.

In the wide-ranging interview, she said she was willing to talk to the government but contrary to newspaper reports no emissary from Gen Pervez Musharraf ever came to see her.

“The fact is that not once has anyone approached me. I am willing to negotiate, but it depends on what the plan is. So far, the offer is that I should remain out of the country, that I should not even return to campaign for my party, that I should not contest the next election,” said Ms Bhutto.