We have the right to appeal to the Supreme Court and we hope that when we appeal, the Supreme Court will temporarily stay the sentence until the appeal is heard,

Today’s meeting was one of the first steps to our return.

I am planning to return and contest the October elections in Pakistan.

dangerous, repressive era with a man (Sharif) who has his finger on a nuclear button.

I’ve never had a bank account in Switzerland since 1984. Why would the Swiss do this to me? Maybe the Swiss are trying to divert attention from the Holocaust gold scandal.

It’s true that General Musharraf opposes my return, seeing me as a symbol of democracy in the country. He is comfortable with dictatorship. I hope better sense prevails.

Now, when people are dying, you don’t really look at who’s offering the help. You take it. The first issue should be to help the people.

The Taliban have apparently given refuge to an Arab who is leading a Jihad against the United States and who apparently sponsored the bombings.

The government I led gave ordinary people peace, security, dignity, and opportunity to progress.

They were no help in Karachi (site of escalating violence) or with the bomb blasts. All I got from them were concocted stories of corruption. What is the purpose of intelligence, if they can’t infiltrate...

Democracy is the best revenge.

The United Nations charter gives every nation the right to self defence, therefore when the American embassies were bombed it was a matter of time before the Americans responded by going for what they suspected...

The military destabilised my government on politically motivated charges.

I have noting to hide.

Clearly it’s not easy for women in modern society, no matter where they live. We still have to go the extra mile to prove that we are equal to men. we have to work longer...

Democracy is necessary to peace and to undermining the forces of terrorism.

The military wants a system that protects its policies and privileges.

I am here after four years and I see a lot of changes around.

He is highly unpopular, … because people in our country blame the military for destabilizing civilian government.

Military hardliners called me a ‘security threat’ for promoting peace in South Asia and for supporting a broad-based government in Afghanistan.

The next few months are critical to Pakistan’s future direction as a democratic state committed to promoting peace, fighting terrorism and working for social justice.

Whether or not the rulers allow me to take part in the elections, I will return home at any cost, not for the reason that I want to become prime minister…. (but because) I owe...

militants are going to land up in Pakistan, try to regroup there and redirect their efforts in southern Afghanistan and perhaps other parts of the world.

Right now, they feel they have lost their voice, and their miseries have increased since my departure.

The political parties have unanimously rejected the one-man constitutional changes.

We are working on an electoral alliance but will not contest elections under one umbrella.

I think it’s very unfortunate for Pakistan that yet another government, a democratically-elected government elected by the people has been dismissed. I think it says something about the fact that our democratic institutions haven’t worked.

despite it our many people won their seats.

It would be very good if I and Nawaz Sharif could return together but this will be discussed in our meeting.

General Musharraf needs my participation to give credibility to the electoral process, as well as to respect the fundamental right of all those who wish to vote for me.

It pains me that they are using the judicial authorities here to score certain political points back home in Pakistan.

The meeting with Mian Nawaz Sharif today is aimed to discuss a joint drive for the revival of the Constitution and democracy, and for ending the dictatorship.

Given the right to a free ballot, the people would support my return.

All our problems, all our disputes, all our disagreements can be resolved quickly to mutual satisfaction if we address the question

I know the cases slapped against me are politically motivated. These are meant to crush my will and bring me round.

I am constitutionally competent to contest the elections.