Islamabad's District and Sessions Judge Mirza Rafiuz Zaman on Wednesday acquitted Bhutto and Zardari from the National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) charge of concealing assets in their declaration statements submitted to the Election Commission.

The verdict came in the form of the dismissal of the NAB complaint that claimed that the asset declaration statements of the couple did not mention the Surrey mansion they allegedly own. It also said the couple had submitted incomplete asset declarations to the Election Commission, Daily Times said on Thursday. This is one of the many cases instituted against Bhutto by the government when her rival, and now ally, Nawaz Sharif, was the prime minister.

Meanwhile, Bhutto, who has been living for years in exile in London and the UAE, said in a interview that she was determined to return to Pakistan. But she was unsure about doing so before elections this year.

“Right now, the signs don’t show that Pakistan is heading toward democracy,” said Bhutto. “I wish I could be more optimistic. I wish my message could be more hopeful. I simply don't see the steps that are necessary,” she said.