ISLAMABAD, April 21: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has called upon the Pakistan Muslim League and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement to continue to work together for people’s wellbeing and for the prestige and strength of the country.

Talking to an MQM delegation comprising federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri, Sindh Minister for Labour Adil Siddiqui and Hyderabad City Nazim Kanwar Naveed who had called on him at the PM House on Friday evening, Mr Aziz said that the PML and its coalition partners, including the MQM, should start preparation for the 2007 general elections to be held after that the assemblies would complete their term for the first time in the country’s history.

The MQM members discussed with the prime minister matters relating to the federal and Sindh governments and the current political situation in the country.

Mr Aziz said that the government was committed to providing basic amenities to the people and would allocate more funds for the Khushhal Pakistan Programme so that more development projects could get under way. He said such initiatives would also discourage the influx of people to cities.

He said the economic profile of the country had been transformed over the past six years with an impressive growth rate ranging between 6 and 8 per cent. This economic achievement, he said, was the result of structural reforms introduced at different levels to improve governance and ensure transparency, consistency and continuity of policies.