NEW YORK, March 7: Former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Friday that he would return to Pakistan soon and indicated he intended to make Islamabad his place of residence.

Mr Aziz who arrived in the United States on Wednesday is in California where he is to address the west coast chapter of Council on Foreign Relations headed by former US Secretary of State Warren Christopher. He has several other speaking engagements scheduled, including a meeting with Pakistani Americans living in San Francisco.

Mr Aziz, who was Citibank’s executive vice-President moved to Pakistan when he was appointed Finance Minister by President Pervez Musharraf in 2000. He is expected to visit New York, his previous permanent residence, for three weeks before returning to London.

As regards charges of mismanagement and corruption being levelled against him by his party, Mr Aziz said he had nothing to hide and would answer his critics when he returned to Pakistan.