Bhutto sees Pakistan coalition, without Musharraf
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto expects her Pakistan People's Party to pick up additional seats in a January election but will have to enter into a coalition to create a ruling majority, The Washington Times reported on Wednesday.
Bhutto said joining with the party of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, would be possible but ruled out an alliance with those controlled by President Pervez Musharraf or Muslim clerics, the newspaper reported.
"No one will accept a Q victory," she said, referring to Musharraf's wing of the Pakistan Muslim League.
"He has no support in the country," Bhutto said in an interview amid a campaign appearance in the North West Frontier Province town or Mardan.
Musharraf said he was ready to cooperate with any party.
"I would like to try to work with anyone who comes to power after the elections," he told Al Jazeera.
She said the only way the president's party will pick up votes is with illegal support from government officials and repeated frequent demand that the elections be carefully supervised, The Washington Times reported.
The newspaper said Bhutto stressed that both her party and Nawaz's Pakistan Muslim League remain skeptical that the January 8 balloting will be free and fair.
(Editing by Philip Barbara)
