Bhutto returns to emotional welcome

An emotional and tearful former premier Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan after eight years in self-imposed exile to a jubilant welcome by tens of thousands of her supporters, hoping to launch an ambitious political comeback.

The 54-year-old Bhutto, who described her return as a "miracle", sobbed as she descended from the plane bringing her from Dubai at the Karachi International Airport amidst tight security.

Clad in a green 'salwar-kameez' with her head covered with a white scarf and clutching prayer beads in her right hand, Bhutto, the two-time prime minister, said, "I am excited and overwhelmed."

"I feel very emotional about coming back to my country. I dreamt about this moment for so long. I hope I can live up to the expectations of the people of Pakistan," Bhutto said after stepping off the aircraft.

The image of Pakistan as a breeding ground for terrorists behind attacks in the West was a "wrong" one and the people wanted to build a strong democratic set-up that would help change the country, she said.