Islamabad, Sept. 15 (AP): Pakistan’s ruling party has finalised its strategy for re-electing President Pervez Musharraf to a new five-year term and the vote will likely take place in the first week of October, top party officials said today.

An announcement on the date from the Election Commission is imminent, the officials said today — a day after Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto’s party announced she would return to Pakistan on October 18. after an eight-year exile to help restore democracy.

“As far as the ruling party is concerned, we have finalised our strategy to elect the President for another five-year term ... we have enough votes to easily elect President Musharraf for another term,” said Azeem Chaudhry, a senior official in the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam) party.

Two ruling party officials said the vote would take place in the first week of October, ignoring Bhutto's suggestion, who wanted Musharraf to seek a vote from the new parliament after the parliamentary elections.