Aides to Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf say he may delay a planned return from self-imposed exile because of a warning from the government that he could be arrested.

Earlier this month Musharraf announced he would return between January 27 and January 30 to take part in future general elections.

He leads his own faction of the All Pakistan Muslim League and has talked about returning to Pakistan to lead the party.

Pakistani prosecutors say they will arrest him upon his arrival, for alleged involvement in the 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Musharraf has been living in London and Dubai since leaving the country in 2008 to avoid prosecution.

The former president blamed the Pakistani Taliban for the Bhutto attack, but prosecutors have since said he played a role himself.