'Benazir, Sharif can't return before polls'

Islamabad:Amidst reports of talks between government emissaries and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said that the former Prime Minster’s Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif will not be allowed to return to Pakistan until the next general elections are held, which are going to be held around the year end.

"No Benazir and Nawaz cannot return before elections", Musharraf said in response to a question during an interview with a private television channel AAJ.

He also said that they would consider their return, by January 2008 when the elections are over.

Media reports have indicated that Bhutto, who lives in self-exile in Dubai, has agreed to support Musharraf’s re-election in return for the country's National.

Accountability Bureau dropping a host of corruption cases against Bhutto.

Sharif, who was deposed by Musharraf in a coup in 1999, lives in London. On talks with India, Musharraf said Islamabad and India are exploring different options and are closer to the resolution of this dispute.

On the judicial crisis arising out of the suspension of Chief Justice Iftikar M Chaudhry, Musharraf said that the issue of reference against the Chief Justice was being politicised.

The May 12 incidents of violence in Karachi, in which over 40 people were killed, was the result of politicization of this judicial issue.

"Now when the full bench of Supreme Court is hearing this case, why this judicial issue is being converted into a political one", he asked.

"If ethnic violence starts in Karachi, we will turn back to the 1990s to the detriment of country", he added. He believes that the people, who are giving an ethnic colour to the Karachi violence, are playing with the destiny of Pakistan.

The Pakistan President said the phenomenon of militancy and extremism was on the rise in the country. "There is an increase of extremism and militancy in the country. We have to counter it. We have to face it.”

Musharraf said that there are al-Qaeda elements in Mir Ali and Waziristan areas and they would be eliminated through intelligence operations.

For him, the country has foremost importance and there is no question of linkage with any group.