Former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who lives in self-imposed exile fearing arrest in her home country, says she's determined to go back and contest elections, with or without a deal with military strongman Pervez Musharraf.

In an interview to Times Now, her first since reports of a secret deal with Musharraf to back him in exchange for getting cases against her dropped, she slammed the report of any backroom deal, saying talks were about restoring democracy in Pakistan, and not about ways to clear her and her husband from corruption charges.

Benazir said she was shocked at the suggestion that the special operations group of the National Accountability Bureau of Pakistan was wound up because it was the best way to close cases against her and her husband, Asif Zardari.

Fuming about this being seen as a sign of a secret deal with Musharraf, Benazir said, "Ignorant people may fall for such delusions but the fact is that not a single case against me or my party has been dropped. I am still on the Interpol list and if I wanted to settle all my cases, I would have done that in 2000, when this regime agreed to do so in return for my staying out of Pakistan for 10 years."

She even dared Musharraf to arrest her when she lands in Pakistan. She said that unlike in 2002, when she was not allowed to contest parliamentary elections, she had made up her mind about returning.

"I know that I will be arrested tomorrow if I go back to Pakistan. The reason I have not gone back so far is to help my party. But I know that the time has now come for me to go back to Pakistan," she said.

"In 2002, I was going back but they banned me from contesting for parliament. And 2002 was too close to 2001. Then, I did not want to give the military government an excuse to not fight terrorism and put the blame on me, saying the political situation was too disturbed. But we are talking of 2007, and I feel that there is nothing to stop me from returning home."

She said there was hope that her dialogue with Musharraf would bear fruit. "It's true the president doesn't want me back now. And, we do not have an agreement now. So he has his position, and, we have our position."
Asked about serving as prime minister under Musharraf if he gives up his uniform, she said: "All this is speculation. I intend to contest the elections. My party intends to win the elections. And if the people of Pakistan give us a big enough majority, then I intend to repeal the ban on a thrice-elected prime minister."

Excerpts from the interview:

You sound very disappointed with the Musharraf regime. Why don't you call off your talks?

Well you see in politics dialogue is very important, that is what I learnt from my father.

But, can't it be seen otherwise?

Yes, it can be seen otherwise, I know you so, and I respect your views. I told you, I made myself very clear, and we are going around in circles. I am the leader of the largest political party in the country and the military is in power. We have to find a way to get the military back into the barracks, if we can, without anarchy and chaos on the streets of Pakistan. Is that why we are having our contacts? Yes, it is. Will that contact lead to something in terms of an agreement? It's too early to say.

What is the point of dialogue if you are not going to be allowed to enter Pakistan?

First of all I am going to go to Pakistan. You want to go on the statements of Musharraf's ministers, you may do so. I have told you that his ministers have no idea of what is going on. The ministers are frightened, they think that if there is going to be democracy they may not be ministers anymore.

So, what exactly could be the agreement?

Its for the transition of democracy. Would you like me to negotiate through The Times of India?

No, but one of the things that you've been most passionate about is his giving up his uniform. Yes, I am passionate about his giving up the uniform and the military going back to the barracks.

Do you fear for your life. You're settled. Are you willing to unsettle your life again?

I am not settled. Every time the phone rings you don't know what bad news it is going to bring. You don't know who's been killed, who's been arrested, which court notice has come. You never know whether you'll be allowed to enter a country or leave a country, so it's not a life of certainty. It's the most unsettled life that anyone could have and it's unsettled because I am taking on a military dictatorship.