ISLAMABAD, Aug 9: Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto said on Friday dictatorships in Muslim countries were responsible for rise in militancy and urged the world community to support democracies in these countries.

“To date, the most critical crises come from countries belonging to the Muslim world and most of these countries were under dictatorship,” Ms Bhutto, who is living in self-imposed exile in London, said in an interview with CNN.

“I think the international community needs to appeal to the people and to say that it stands by the empowerment of ordinary Muslim people.”

Ms Bhutto said Pakistan, under the military rule of General Pervez Musharraf, could be made a test case by offering a hope of democracy to its youth and the people.

She said that although Musharraf was a key ally of the West in its war against terror, the world community must speak in defence of democracy.

“I want the international community to help Pakistani people achieve their democratic right through a fair election,” she said referring to October polls she is barred from contesting.

Ms Bhutto said she would defy a ban on her participation and return to the country to contest the poll even if that meant being arrested. “It’s difficult living in exile, I want to go back home,” she said.—Reuters