National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza said during a meeting with Majlis-e-Shura Islami Development Commission Head Ali Akbar at the Parliament House on Wednesday that the Muslim Ummah needed to develop unity amongst itself in order to address various challenges faced by Muslims.
Fehmida said keeping a healthy relation with Iran was important for Pakistan as the two Asian countries had a religious attachment. She said both countries should make efforts to create unity amongst the Muslim Ummah for development, stability and peace in the region. The speaker said peace and security was essential for progress and prosperity of the Ummah and cooperation was the key to achieve these objectives.
She hailed existence of the Pak-Iran friendship group in parliaments of both countries and said it was a step in the right direction. More economic projects should be started to increase ties between the two countries, she said. Ali Akbar said Pakistan and Iran were bonded in the ties of religion, culture and history. He agreed that the Muslims were facing challenges and backed Fehmida’s call for joint efforts. He said the Pak-Iran parliamentary and economic cooperation was essential for progress and prosperity of both nations. He said further that the government of Iran would always standby Pakistan in the hour of need, adding that his country would extend all possible support to help Pakistan meet its energy needs and eradicate terrorism. Akbar also invited Fehmida on behalf of Iran Majlis Speaker Ali Ardashir Larijani to attend the ‘Special Conference of Speakers of Parliaments on Palestine’, to be held in Tehran in October.
