Is democracy on its way back in Pakistan? The return of Benazir Bhutto may be the signal that it is.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan on Thursday to a massive and joyous homecoming, as thousands of her supporters rallied at the airport here and tens of thousands more gathered nearby to celebrate the end of her eight years in exile.

Ignoring assassination threats and a suggestion from President Pervez Musharraf that she delay her return, she arrived on a plane from Dubai at a time of immense turmoil in Pakistan -- with her presence adding another layer of uncertainty.

Stepping onto the tarmac at 2:16 pm local time, she briefly glanced upward and said "It's great to be back home. It is a dream come true."

Jostling through a scrum of hundreds of reporters and photographers documenting the moment, she headed for a planned trip to the tomb of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Pakistan's founder, a journey that will take her through streets lined with until thousands of supporters.

Aides predicted that perhaps 1 million Pakistanis would gather to welcome her in a reception expected to last for days. But they had also arranged tight security and a bullet-proof vehicle and stage trappings for her first appearances.

"My return heralds for the people of Pakistan the turn of the wheel from dictatorship to democracy," Bhutto said at a news conference in Dubai, where she has spent much of her exile.

Some argue that her deal with Musharraf undercut the movement against him, but if her return signals a weakening of his power, she has done a great service to the people of Pakistan. After all, a peaceful transition from the general's rule is a good thing, compared to the convulsions seen in many other parts of the world as military leaders are challenged.

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