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KARACHI, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ended eight years of self exile on Thursday, coming home to Karachi to lead her party into elections meant to return her country to civilian rule.

"I am very excited, very happy and very proud," Bhutto said as her flight from Dubai was about to touch down. "We have to have democracy in Pakistan."

For years Bhutto had promised to return to Pakistan to end military dictatorship, yet she is coming back as a potential ally for President Pervez Musharraf, the army chief who seized power in a coup in 1999. There is speculation the two pro-Western leaders could share power in nuclear-armed Pakistan after a national election due in January. Al Qaeda linked militants have threatened to assassinate both.

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