DUBAI, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was homeward bound on Thursday to end eight years living in self exile, as her flight took off from Dubai for Karachi, where al Qaeda linked militants have threatened to assassinate her.

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. As she boarded the plane supporters clapped and chanted "Prime Minister Benazir". Her sister, Sanam Bhutto, cried as she sat waiting to go home. The Emirates flight was delayed taking off and was due to land in Karachi around 2.00 p.m. (0900 GMT).

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