Benazir broke pact, came early: Pervez Poll to be held on time,

Says Pak Gen Kayani

Former Pakistan military ruler Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday revealed that he had struck a deal with twotime Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto before 2008 general elections for her return from exile.

“Some key countries and personalities were guarantors of the deal. As per the agreement, Benazir Bhutto had to come to Pakistan after general elections but she violated the pact”, Mr Musharraf said in his first statement before joint investigation team of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Mr Mushararf did not disclose the names of guarantors and said former interior minister Rehman Malik be questioned in this regard.

He said that Rehman Malik had been the only means of contact between him and Benazir who was assassinated in 2007.

Ms Bhutto, twice Prime Minister of Pakistan and the chief of the erstwhile ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), had been cam- Islamabad: Pakistan will go to polls as scheduled as it is a golden opportunity to usher in an era of true democratic values in the country, Army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said, amid mounting attacks by the Taliban to derail the historic general elections. Addressing an event to mark the Youm-e-Shahada (Day of Martyrs), Gen. Kayani reiterated the Army’s commitment to holding of free and fair elections. He criticised those who contended that the campaign against terrorism is not Pakistan’s war and called for greater political consensus and a “clear policy” to tackle extremism and terrorism. Gen Kayan’s statement also comes amid reports that sections in the army are miffed with the treatment of former dictator Pervez Musharraf. — PTI paigning ahead of elections scheduled for January 2008. A suicide bomber struck at Liaquat National Bagh, where she was campaigning. She was declared dead later at Rawalpindi.