LONDON, March 8: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has called upon British Muslims to ensure unity in their ranks and join mainstream British politics. He was talking to representatives of the Muslims here on Tuesday night, including MP Khalid Mehmood, Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party Syeda Varsi Baroness Kishwar Falkner, Yasmin Qureshi, Syed Ghaussuddin and Qari Abdul Aziz Chishti.

He said the British Muslims were faced with problems like integration (into the British society) and education. “British Muslims have an identity problem. However, they can be very much British and maintain their own values at the same time.”

Mr Aziz appreciated the idea from one of the representatives that there should be a youth exchange programme to enable children of Pakistani origin visit Pakistan for sustaining link with the country of their parents.

He thanked British Muslims over what they had done to help Pakistan in assisting the victims of last year’s quake.

Earlier, the prime minister heard the views of the Muslim representatives on various issues being faced by their community in the multi-cultural British society. —APP