RAWALPINDI, April 20: President Gen Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali held a half-an-hour meeting at Army House here on Tuesday. The meeting took place after the National Alliance delegation led by MNA Farooq Leghari, met the President Gen Pervez Musharraf and announced the merger of his Millat Party with the ruling Pakistan Muslim League.

An official announcement said that the president and prime minister discussed a wide range of issues of national importance including economy and the law and order situation in the country.

The prime minister, who leaves for a nine-day four-nation visit of the South East Asian and Far Eastern region on Wednesday, also apprised the president about the objectives of the visit.

He said it would be a major step towards the realization of Pakistan's Vision East Asia, that essentially envisages building strong cooperative ties with South East Asian States, ASEAN and associate closely with the important regional process in the broader Asia-Pacific region.

The two leaders expressed the confidence that long-term economic and political benefits would accrue from the visit, which would further consolidate the country's economy along with strengthening the bonds of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with these countries.