NEW YORK, Aug 14: The proposals being discussed in negotiations between the government and the People’s Party included one envisaging that President Pervez Musharraf quit as army chief, become a civilian head of state and, in that capacity, take charge of ‘national security and foreign affairs’.

PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, dwelling on the negotiations between the two sides, said in an interview with an Ivy League University magazine, published on Tuesday, that a proposal to amend the constitutional provision barring a third prime ministerial term was also being negotiated.

In the interview with the Yale-Global magazine, Ms Bhutto said ‘deal or not’, she intended to return to Pakistan ‘for saving my country from a militant takeover, (and) God forbid, disintegration’.

However, she hastened to add, no ‘concrete plans’ had been made.

“There’s a feeling in Pakistan that instead of offering a deal, the general (President Musharraf) may be giving my party ‘dheel’ (leeway).”

The magazine said ‘Ms Bhutto did not categorically admit to meeting with Musharraf, but did not deny the terms of a political arrangement reportedly discussed in Abu Dhabi’.

But she said: “We have not reached an agreement yet because everything the regime says it would do is post-presidential, prime ministerial and parliamentary elections.”

Sounding sceptical of Musharraf’s willingness to deliver on his promises in a phased implementation, she said: “My party does not want to be led up the garden path.” She parried a question whether Gen Musharraf’s ‘failing control’ had prompted him to seek accommodation with her party.