Karachi: Pakistani ex-Premier Benazir Bhutto's political comeback bid was still alive, her lawyer said on September 4, as he prepared to appeal against the rejection of her candidacy for October 10 polls.

"It's a long legal battle as government is using all its resources to keep Bhutto out of the contest," Bhutto's attorney Farooq Naik said.

"But she is a fighter and determined to stage a comeback."

Bhutto, twice dismissed as Prime Minister in 1990 and 1996 and in self-imposed exile since 1998, has vowed to return to Pakistan to contest the Parliamentary elections.

However, election officials have rejected Bhutto's nominations in three seats, two near her home town of Larkana in Southern Sindh province and a third for one of the seats reserved for women.

Naik said he would lodge appeals against all three rejections with election tribunals in the regional Sindh centre of Sukkur and the provincial capital Karachi on September 5.

"I will fly to Sukkur tomorrow morning and after filing the appeals will return on the next flight to file another appeal in Karachi," Naik said.

Seven election tribunals have been set up across Pakistan to hear appeals over three days until September 6. They have until September 13 to decide on the appeals, and the final list of candidates will be published on September 15.