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Speculation is rife in the Pakistani media that two-time former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is heading for a dramatic showdown with the military regime by flying back into the country along with prominent journalists, American and European Union politicians, and a battery of lawyers.
Although officials of her Pakistan Peoples Party gave evasive replies, The News reported on Thursday that Bhutto was planning to end her self-exile in Dubai with a "planeload of media and prominent political personalities from the US and EU to stake her claim to participate in the [October 10] general election, defying threats of arrest by the Musharraf regime".
The Karachi newspaper reported that "a list of selected media and political personalities who are likely to accompany the former premier on a chartered plane" was being given final shape, but would not be announced until a day before they land in Pakistan.
A large number of congressmen from the United States have already given their consent to accompany Bhutto, the paper said, quoting a senior PPP official. The entourage is also likely to include prominent lawyers "who would directly rush to the Supreme Court with a bail plea" as Bhutto has been convicted only for not appearing before a court and not on any specific charge.
But the PPP official said plans were afoot to mobilize prominent national and international media and other personalities, but nothing had been finalised.
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