KARACHI, Oct 27: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Pakistan Muslim League president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain paid a visit to the headquarters of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement on Saturday and held discussions on matters of mutual interest.

Members of the MQM coordination committee, legislators, ministers and advisers and a large number of workers welcomed them.

Mr Aziz and Chaudhry Shujaat also talked to MQM chief Altaf Hussain over phone, who thanked them for visiting the ‘Nine Zero’. The overall political and law and order situation with special reference to tribal areas and Swat came under discussion.

The MQM chief expressed concern over the situation in the Northern Areas and urged the prime minister to resolve it through dialogue on a give-and-take basis. He said that if the operation became necessary, the loss of innocent lives and property should be avoided.

Later, the prime minister told newsmen that all coalition partners would contest the coming elections from one platform and they would form the next government as people would elect them on the basis of their performance during the last five years.

Mr Aziz said that during his talks with Mr Altaf Hussain, it was decided that joint committees of the PML and the MQM should be set up to formulate election strategy.

He said that he had visited the MQM headquarters as part of a process to hold dialogue with coalition parties.