ISLAMABAD, Aug 21: President General Pervez Musharraf has congratulated Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s leader Altaf Hussain on the victory of the Haq Parast group in the first phase of local body polls.

According to a private television channel, the president in a telephonic conversation with Mr Hussain on Sunday appreciated that the polls in Karachi were held in a peaceful atmosphere and praised the people of Karachi.

He said that the government wanted to strengthen the local government system and it had proved that by holding the LB polls in a fair and transparent manner.

Mr Hussain praised the arrangements made by the government for holding peaceful elections in the country.—Online