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Benazir’s terms for talks with Sharif

From MJ Zahedi, Special correspondent
KARACHI. May 13: Political developments are taking place tn the capital, Islamabad, at a fast pace. Opposition leader "Benazir Bhutto has replied to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs recent letter, requesting talks with her.
Benazir's husband, Asif Alt Zardari, attended the National Assembly session yesterday after the Federal and Sindn governments both responded positively to Speaker Gohar Ayub's request to let Zardari attend the session.
Zardari has been under de-
tention in Karachi for the last two years, facing several charges related to corruption, fraud, kidnapping, etc.
Earlier, one of the courts trying one of the cases had refused an application by Zardari, pleading for permission to attend the NA session, but the Sindh High Court had earlier said that the court would have no objection if the government allowed Zardari to attend the current session at which the 1993 94 budget will be presented tomorrow.
He was taken to Islamabad
yesterday under police escort and his wife's official residence. where he will be staying. has been declared a sub-jall
Bhutto did not reveal the contents of her letter to the Prime Minister. But she had held intensive discussions with Peoples Party executives and other opposition leaders before formulating a reply.
Opinions differed on whether she should accept the Prime Minister's offer. Finally, it seems, her view has prevailed.
An Islamabad newspaper has said that Benazir’s letter contains a set of pre-conditions. These, according to the paper, are: the PM should obtain a fresh mandate from the people; he should give a firm assurance that the next elec lions would be free and fair; the references against the op position leader and others should be withdrawn; all pollt leal prisoners. Including Asif Zardari, should be freed; political victimisation should end and a new social contact (with the people of Pakistan) should be evolved
The Prime Minister said yesterday In Islamabad that the objective behind the Invitation was to end the atmosphere of confrontation and to bring about political stability in the country
He said that he had Invited the opposition to come and talk with him about subjects which were agitating It. and It should come forward to sort out such problems
Benazir too said that they had taken the PM's offer serf ousiy as "we believe In keeping the doors of negotiations open.' but she couldn't say whether the government was sincere and the offer was not a tactical move to wriggle out of a difficult situation. T am not Interested in balling out the Prime Minister or any other person. I want to bail out the democratic system." she told journalists tn the National Assembly cafeteria.
She said that the PM was facing difficult times. She painted a rather bleak picture of the situation: the coalition had fallen apart, the government was in trouble. Its economic policies were not work Ing. and the privatisation policy has not paid off.
She also confirmed that she had taken all opposition allies into confidence. They too wanted the doors to be kept open, but they were not sure If whether the talks offer was a play.
She forcefully denied that the Armed Forces were poised to take over power but said that the Army had a political role to play.~They are a political force and no government can run without their full support." she said.
She said that she did not intend to talk to President Ghulam Ishaq Khan. She had received no invitation for talks.
In fact, she said. In the last three years since he dismissed her government, the President had not invited her even once, although he had met other opposition leaders.
Meanwhile, one development In Sindh is seen by some observers as an attempt to put a spanner in the possibility of talks between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
The development is the reported encounter between a Naval force and some people who have been described as members of the Al Zulflkar Organisation(AZO) and said to be led by late Zulfikar AH Bhutto's only surviving eon.
The encounter took place on the high seas near the Indian border.
The alleged terrorists were said to be going to India tn a country boat when the Navy patrol boat Intercepted IL In the encounter that followed, seven of the boat s passengers were killed and 14 others taken into custody. Several tetters said to be written by Murtaza Bhutto were recovered from the arrested people.
The Incident took place In the early hours of Saturday . but the news was released only on Monday.
But unlike his predecessor, the Sindh Chief Minister. Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah, has not linked the PPP or any other political party with the arrested people. The lawyer that he Is. he said that he would not do so until he had proof.
* Jam Sadiq AH would not have missed this opportunity to malign the PPP.
Benazir has denied any Hnk or Involvement of the PPP with those arrested or killed. Her mother, Nusrat Bhutto, has said that the letters could not have been written by her son because he can not write Urdu.