Bhutto, Musharraf reach agreement

ISLAMABAD: Exiled former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto has agreed to support President Pervez Musharraf's re-election in return for the country's National Accountability Bureau dropping a host of corruption cases against her, a media report on Tuesday said.

Quoting a draft agreement reached between top emissaries of the two leaders, the report said, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will first support Musharraf's re-election by the present assemblies which will be endorsed by the new Houses after the general elections.

In return, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), this was pursuing a host of corruption cases against Bhutto and her spouse Asif Ali Zardari in Swiss courts, would drop them, 'The Daily Times' reported.

According to the report, the emissaries of the two leaders gave the finalised draft of the deal on Sunday night after four rounds of talks held in Dubai and Islamabad in less than a week.

A close relative of Bhutto is said to be brokering the deal on her behalf, while a six-member team, headed by Tariq Aziz, National Security Council Secretary and top aide of the President, represented Musharraf at the talks.

Bhutto's close associate and PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim was also involved in the talks, the paper said.

During the fresh round of talks in Dubai on last Friday and Saturday, the President's uniform - Musharraf's continuation as Army Chief - remained the bone of contention.