OTTAWA, July 24: Alleging that President Pervez Musharraf needs the militancy issue to legitimise his rule, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto said on Tuesday she would have a `zero tolerance’ for ‘political seminaries’ where terrorist activities are carried out.

“Gen Musharraf believes in signing peace agreements and negotiating with radical groups. He and I speak from different vantage points. He needs the extremist issue to legitimise his rule. I don’t. I need the people’s support,” she said.

In an interview with Canada’s The Globe and Mail newspaper, Ms Bhutto said her agenda for defeating Pakistan’s growing internal problems also stood in a `striking contrast’ to that of Gen Musharraf’s. “He and Afghan President Hamid Karzai have had hostile relations during the war on terror. I plan to work closely with Afghanistan to bring about stability in both countries.”

The PPP chairperson reiterated her resolve to return home within weeks even at the cost of being jailed. Benazir said she had decided to end her eight-year-long self-imposed exile to fight for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan. “My return is not tied to any dialogue. My return is going to happen,” she added.

The former prime minister clarified that talks between her party and Gen Musharraf were about ensuring free and fair elections this year, and not about power-sharing agreements. “Regardless of how these negotiations turn out, I will return to Pakistan.”

Benazir Bhutto said the Election Commission must `do much more’ to convince the nation that it could hold `a free and fair election’. —Correspondent