New Delhi: Sources in the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) say an understanding has been reached between former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and the Musharraf government and a formal announcement is expected in the next couple of days.
Benazir Bhutto is to meet senior leaders of her party in London again on Wednesday to discuss the strategy for Presidential polls.
The meeting was originally called to decide on PPP legislators resigning from National and Provincial assemblies ahead of the October 6 polls.
But after the government announced that it will drop corruption charges against Bhutto, she is said to have asked her party men to start confidence-building measures with the government.
Musharraf, who is seeking another five-year term, has held talks with Bhutto - who served twice as prime minister between 1988 and 1996 but saw her governments fall amid allegations of corruption and misrule - over a possible power-sharing agreement.
The Supreme Court had to delay hearing two fresh challenges to Musharraf's candidacy for Saturday's presidential election by national and provincial lawyers after one judge rescued himself, saying he had already expressed an opinion while part of a nine-judge panel that rejected other petitions Friday.
''According to my view, it is exactly the same case,'' said Justice Sardar Mohammed Raza Khan, one of the three judges who dissented from the six-judge majority opinion that allowed Musharraf to run.
The justices were to hear the case Wednesday afternoon without Khan.
The government indicated on Tuesday it was ready to pardon Bhutto, clearing her way to participate in politics eight years after she left Pakistan to avoid arrest in corruption cases registered by her old political rival, exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Musharraf's 1999 coup ousted Sharif, who later was exiled to Saudi Arabia. Bhutto plans to return home from London on October 18.
A senior Cabinet minister said Wednesday that Bhutto and the government were close to reaching an understanding about the presidential vote and the parliamentary elections, which are due to be held by January.
''President Musharraf has told us that he would not hesitate to share power with Benazir Bhutto, if she gains enough seats to be part of a government of national consensus,'' the minister said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue.
Both Bhutto and Musharraf are pro-US and have called for moderates to unite against extremism. Bhutto said Monday she would cooperate with the American military in targeting Osama bin Laden.
(With agency inputs)
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