LONDON, June 18: Former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif clashed on Monday over who would be the premier first if they won free elections. Ms Bhutto said there was a deal for her to do so and Mr Sharif’s party denied it.

“Both of us are committed to reforming the military establishment. I hope... that the military would not be able to play one of us off against the other,” Ms Bhutto told the Financial Times.

“Mr Nawaz Sharif and I agree. Mr Nawaz says, ‘You should be the prime minister for the first five-year term’ and after that five-year term he wants to run,” she said.

But a spokesman for Mr Sharif said there was no deal. “It’s not true. There’s no decision,” Nadir Chaudhry told Reuters.

“It is for the people of Pakistan and not Mr Sharif to decide who will govern them after free and fair elections. Mr Sharif is in no position to offer terms for ruling Pakistan to anyone.”

Ms Bhutto said she had been discussing a possible deal with Gen Pervez Musharraf that would enable him to continue as president, provided he agreed to quit as army chief. “We’ve had discussions, but they have not moved forward,” she said.—Reuters