“I don’t see why not,” Rice responded when asked if Bhutto had a place in the evolving mix.

“There will be, we believe, and there should be a contested parliamentary election and that people ought to be able to participate,” she said.

When asked whether Bhutto was the right figure for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan, given the corruption charges against her, Rice said, “That’s going to have to be a decision that Pakistani institutions and Pakistanis make about whether or not she’s a viable political force. That’s not something the United States can decide.”

Bhutto had been charged with illegally amassing properties and money in bank accounts overseas while in power.She was also convicted of money laundering in Switzerland in July 2003 and ordered to pay $ 11 million to the Pakistan government. The case is under review after she launched an appeal.