Deal or No Deal, Bhutto Will Return Oct. 18

Ex-PM Benazir Bhutto will return to Pakistan on October 18, her party said today, even without a power-sharing deal with Pervez Musharraf that would let her serve another term. Bhutto, who a party spokesman said will “bring back true democracy,” objects to Musharraf's plans to remain both president and army chief, the BBC reports.

Bhutto’s party opposes any Musharraf deal, but US officials seek an alliance to lend credibility to the weakened president, who’s said he will seek re-election before October 15. Bhutto has demanded corruption cases against her be terminated, but the government promises only that she won’t be deported upon her return, as ex-PM Nawaz Sharif was this week. (More Nawaz Sharif stories.)