WASHINGTON, Dec 12: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto expects her Pakistan People’s Party to pick up additional seats in the January election but will have to enter into a coalition to create a ruling majority, The Washington Times reported on Wednesday.

Ms Bhutto said joining with the party of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, was possible but ruled out an alliance with those controlled by President Pervez Musharraf or religious parties, the newspaper reported.

“No one will accept a Q victory,” she said, referring to the Pakistan Muslim League faction supported by President Musharraf. “He has no support in the country,” Ms Bhutto said in an interview during a campaign appearance in Mardan.

Mr Musharraf said he was ready to cooperate with any party. “I would like to try to work with anyone who comes to power after the elections,” he told Al Jazeera.

Ms Bhutto said the only way the president’s party will pick up votes is with illegal support from government officials and repeated frequent demand that the elections be carefully supervised, The Washington Times reported.

The newspaper said Ms Bhutto asserted that both her party and Nawaz’s Pakistan Muslim League remain sceptical that the Jan 8 vote will be free and fair.—Reuters