NEW YORK, Aug 15: Saying that she has staked her political future in holding talks with President Pervez Musharraf, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on Wednesday asked the general to put in place necessary reforms to hold free, fair and transparent elections.

Speaking at the Council of Foreign Relations, the PPP chairperson said Gen Musharraf should put in place the elements of an understanding on the issues of democracy and election within three weeks.

She reiterated that she would return to Pakistan before the end of the year and start a “movement for the restoration of democracy” and the rule of law.

Ms Bhutto said the US should link any future American aid to the restoration of democracy in Pakistan and called upon the European nations to make a long-term commitment to establish a democratic Pakistan.

This would help fight terrorism, she added.

Maintaining that all political parties should contest elections, she stressed that exiled leaders like herself and Nawaz Sharif should be allowed to rerun and contest elections.

In reply to questions about militancy in Pakistan, Ms Bhutto said her government would never enter into an agreement with the Taliban, who were Afghans, or Al Qaeda, which was made up of Arabs. “We cannot placate these elements for the sovereignty and integrity of the nation is at stake.”

Ms Bhutto asserted that democracy was the real antidote to the scourge of terrorism and declared that all US aid to Pakistan (which she said was in excess of $10 billion) should be tied to the return of civilian rule.

In the hour-long meeting at the CFR, including a question and answer session, Ms Bhutto defended herself against corruption charges, saying that they had never been proved in a court of law and were trumped up.