Makhdoom Amin Faheem said the first female leader of a post-colonial Muslim nation would arrive in the southern port city of Karachi October 18, a year ahead of a presidential election due before October 15, 2008.
Bhutto, who occupied the premiership twice - in 1988-1990 and again in 1993-1996 - was forced to flee Pakistan in 1999 in the face of corruption charges, and has been leading her party from London and Dubai ever since.
The Pakistani government of President Pervez Musharraf, who took power in a coup the same year Bhutto left, has said it would not prevent her from returning, but insisted she must still face the original allegations against her.
Musharraf, who last week deported another former prime minister who tried returning from exile, Nawaz Sharif, has had his share of mounting problems related to his support of Washington's global antiterrorism campaign.
Confronted by widespread rioting recently by hard-line Islamists and facing dwindling support both at home and in the U.S. Congress, Musharraf has reportedly been in talks with Bhutto about a possible power sharing arrangement following next year's general election.
However, any deal would be predicated on his granting the charismatic Bhutto an amnesty and stepping down as army chief, both extremely unpalatable options for the headstrong leader.
Bhutto, 54, is the daughter of deposed Premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder of the Pakistan People's Party. He served as the president of Pakistan between 1971 and 1973, and as prime minister between 1973 and 1977.
He was hanged in 1979 by the country's military ruler, General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, allegedly for sanctioning the assassination of a political opponent.
