In an interview with Voice of America (VOA), Benazir -- who ruled Pakistan twice between 1988 and 1996 -- said Musharraf had as yet made no gestures suggesting he was willing to act on her key demands.

The president is trying to win support from the opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP) that Benazir leads in order to get through the worst crisis since he seized power in a coup in 1999.

Benazir, currently living in exile, suggested that she wants the military ruler to lift a ban on her returning to Pakistan and drop the corruption charges against her.

"One thing is certain, that time is running out for General Musharraf's side to reach some kind of an accommodation with the opposition," she told VOA.

"And unless they can come up with up-front gestures, I think it is going to be very difficult, given that nothing has happened since the process began."

Benazir again declined to confirm a reported meeting with Musharraf in Abu Dhabi last month, where they reportedly discussed making a deal.

She has repeatedly asked Musharraf to give up his military post, saying that his uniform "blurs the distinction" between military and civilian rule.

"The uniform is not negotiable," Benazir said.

"It is something that is not constitutionally permissible, and it is not negotiable because the whole country is against it, and PPP has spent its whole life fighting to make a distinction between democratic government and military government," she said.

Musharraf is facing trouble from many sides, with a wave of Islamist violence sweeping the country, US accusations that Pakistan is providing safe haven to al-Qaeda and the Taliban, and the once-compliant court system displaying defiant independence.

There has been mounting unrest across the country since he suspended chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in March on charges of misconduct and abuse of authority.

The Supreme Court overturned Musharraf's allegations and reinstated Chaudhry.

Since then the president has faced accusations from a broad cross section of society that he is denying them their democratic rights and manipulating state institutions to remain in power.

Benazir said if Musharraf tried to seek reelection before the general elections, due early next year, the PPP might resign from parliament or boycott the polls.

Musharraf has said he intends to have himself relected by the sitting assemblies for another five-year term and will decide on giving up his post as head of the military at an "appropriate" time.

Benazir has vowed to return to Pakistan to contest the election as head of the PPP, and has said she is open to a power-sharing deal with Musharraf as long as he gives up his role as head of the military.

Musharraf would have to ensure a balance of power between the parliament and the presidency if she were to resume the premiership, she has said.

Benazir's participation in the election would depend on a constitutional amendment that would allow prime ministers to serve a third term.

The ban was inserted into the constitution by Musharraf in 2003, with support from an alliance of hardline Islamist parties which have since turned against him.

The amendment was aimed at preventing Benazir and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif -- whom Musharraf ousted in the 1999 coup -- from taking office a third time as both have ruled the country twice.