ISLAMABAD, June 24: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz says he will begin contacting opposition politicians from Monday to exchange views with them on a proposed code of conduct for the general election.

Talking to journalists during a visit to a rural utility store to check sale of essential items at subsidised rates on Sunday, Mr Aziz reiterated that assemblies would complete their term and rejected rumours about their dissolution in July.

Asked about the government’s eroding writ in the capital, particularly in relation to Jamia Hafsa and Lal Masjid, the prime minister said the government would not allow anyone to take the law in his own hands. Islam did not allow such activities, he said about the kidnapping of Chinese nationals by seminary students.

Talking about the widespread destruction caused by rain and storms in Karachi on Saturday, Mr Aziz said the federal government was in contact with the Sindh government and the Karachi city administration and would provide them whatever help they needed to mitigate the suffering of the people.

He said relief work was in full swing. He said he would visit Karachi to assess the situation and to try to redress people’s hardships.

Answering a question, the prime minister said the government would ensure that all eligible voters were included in the revised electoral lists and the Election Commission had made arrangements in this respect.

He said he would also consult opposition parties to update

the lists and make them error-free.

The prime minister said the government was taking steps to provide relief to people through utility stores and for this purpose, 5,000 utility stores would be opened at the union council level.