Benazir Bhutto may finally return soon

NOV 21: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)workers are reportedly active planning Benazir Bhutto's return to Pakistan from self-exile.

A party meeting is scheduled in London on November 27, and topmost on the agenda is BB's return, says a reliable source who chose to remain anonymous.

Asked when she may return, the source told DesPardes.com "it could be as early as on or about January 5, 2006 - Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's birthday or sometime in summer."

There have been rumors of Benazir's imminent return to Pakistan but PPP leader Amin Fahim recently denied it saying "I did not discuss the issue of Benazir Bhutto�s return to Pakistan during a meeting with her in Dubai." Amin Fahim was quoted telling a private TV channel last week.

According to the source, Benazir's chances of being "relieved" as a party to the Swiss Case which is scheduled for hearing on November 25 are very high. Expecting the case outcome to be "in her favor", Peoples' Party leadership and workers have scheduled a high level meeting in London two days thereafter "so they can discuss BBs return" the source added.

Ms Benazir Bhutto will appear before a Swiss magistrate on November 24 and 25 to assist in the inquiry triggered by allegations of kickbacks and money laundering.

Asked if that meant Zardari may be "relieved too", the source said it is possible but it could be just Benazir for now "to pave the way" for her return to Pakistan where post quake related scenario dictates all hands on board.

General Musharraf has time and again said that Benazir Bhutto was most welcome to come back to Pakistan after receiving "a clean chit" from the Swiss court even though she will be still barred from contesting for third premiership.

Benazir's attempted "disassociation" statement to the Swiss court in September is being taken as the basis for getting "the clean chit" repeatedly referred by Musharraf.

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Ms Bhutto had informed the magistrate during her last appearance on September 19 that the Swiss companies involved in money laundering were not hers, nor did she accept a necklace "as gift" because, according to her mother it was not appropriate.

BB with children

Analysts say unless the Swiss court has evidence to the contrary, they have to "let Benazir go" on the presumption of "innocent unless proven guilty" basis.

PPP has maintained its stance that the inquiry is based on politically motivated allegations of abuse of office made by the regime in Islamabad.

According to one Pakistan observer, "it was surprising the Geneva authorities had allowed investigations into SGS Cotecna pre-shipment inspection contract award to go ahead without any proof."

Meanwhile, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), a body set up to check corruption, is learnt to have prepared a fresh list of new bank accounts and properties held in the names of former premier Benazir Bhutto, her husband Asif Ali Zardari, and the couple's three children, and it is now contemplating filing a new reference of mis-declaration of assets against the Bhutto family.

According to sources close to NAB, the fresh list of assets included new properties in France, the UK and the USA, companies in these countries and bank accounts.

As per the list, the former first couple reportedly own Bilawal House in Clifton, Karachi, a 50 percent share in 70 Clifton, Karachi, a shop in Karachi (in daughter Bakhtawar's name), a plot in Nawabshah (in daughter Asifa's name), two plots in Gwadar, interest in an ice factory, jewelry, NIT units, a share in the Zardari Group, agricultural land in the name of children Bilawal, Bakhtawar and Asifa, a house in Naudero (in Bakhtawar's name) and a Mercedes Benz-I, the Daily Times reported.

NAB claimed that it detected that the couple had 11 bank accounts, joint as well as individual, in Switzerland, one in Dubai, five in France, five in the UK and four in the USA. It also claimed to have detected five properties in the couple's name in the UK, two in France and seven in the USA.

Zardari

The anti-corruption Bureau also claimed that it had detected 25 firms, which the couple owned directly or through front men or agents. Though NAB claimed that it had located these assets amounting to 1.5 billion dollars, it did not provide information about any of these foreign bank accounts.

Well-placed sources said that NAB investigators believed that by mis-declaring their assets the former first couple deprived the government of large amounts of revenue in the form of wealth, income and property taxes.

Earlier, the Bhutto couple faced corruption charges in 1998 when the then Ehtesab Bureau had collected the details of the couple's assets during Nawaz Sharif's second tenure as prime minister. The Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Crime Circle, Karachi initiated the inquiry, but before it could be completed, President Pervez Musharraf replaced Nawaz Sharif as the chief executive of the government in a military takeover in October 1999.

(DesPardes.com Staff)

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