In a flattering article in the Express newspaper, the ``serenely beautiful'' Bhutto declared, ``I want to go back but my party feels I should wait.''

``Personally, I think even in prison I will be a strong rallying point for my party. It would motivate the people''.

On Thursday, Bhutto and her husband Asif Ali Zardari were sentenced to five years in jail after being found guilty of receiving millions of dollars in kickbacks over an official contract with Swiss firm Societe Generale de Surveillance.

The couple were also barred from holding public office, fined $8.6 million and had their property seized.

Bhutto immediately declared the trial was politically motivated and her party on Saturday called a general strike in Bhutto's home province of Sindh.

The former premieralso said she would return home this week to appeal her conviction in the supreme court. Pakistani officials countered by saying she would be arrested immediately on her return.

Bhutto told the Express, ``Of course, I have been in prison before. I know I can cope, so in that sense prison does not frighten me.''

``I also have such a frenetic life outside that prison could become a port of calm in a sea of storm. Yet I believe this has been a political trial and when the government changes, the sentence will be set aside''.

Bhutto went on to say that she was worried about the effect of a jail sentence on their three young children.

``But I have not told them and they do not watch TV or read newspapers because it is hurtful for them. Yet ultimately they understand that political people go to prison. Their father, after all, has been there for two-and-a-half years''.

She continued, ``I suppose I have put politics over family. But I was brought up to believe that while one loves one's family, itis to one's people that one owes responsibility.''

``I worry about what my children will say when they grow up. I hope they understand, as I understood before them''.

Saying she would no longer try to be a ``male'' leader and pursue ``this entire missile programme'', she said she also ``never wanted to enter politics'' but was forced in by circumstances.

Stressing the ``enormous personal cost'' politics had brought her and ``how terrible things are'', she declared, ``I feel duty-bound to lead my people and after I have led them again I hope I will have time for my family and children.''

``Until then, I must continue on this path''.