ISLAMABAD, Dec 8: The Foreign Office said on Saturday that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement was an important coalition partner of the ruling alliance and hoped that “misgivings” about it would be cleared soon.

In an unprecedented move, the foreign ministry came out with a statement amid hearsay accounts about a raid carried out by London Metropolitan Police at a “business address” in the city’s Edgware neighbourhood on Thursday and Friday in connection with investigations into the murder of MQM leader Imran Farooq two years ago.

The FO made a mention of the ‘secular’ credentials of MQM. “The Muttahida represents secular forces in the country,” the spokesman said.