May 21, 2008	Wednesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 15, 1429

ISLAMABAD, May 20: Head of Iran’s Council of Guardians Ayatullah Janati called on Speaker of the National Assembly Dr Fehmida Mirza on Tuesday and praised Pakistan’s stand on regional issues, including his country’s peaceful nuclear programme.

Dr Mirza said that Pakistan was facing challenges like energy shortages, inflation and poverty for which it needed the support of friendly countries like Iran.

She called for rapid completion of the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project.

She stressed the need for enhancing investment and economic cooperation between the two countries.

She said that Islam abhorred terrorism and extremism in all its forms and manifestations and it was the responsibility of religious scholars to play their role in removing misperceptions in this regard in the West.

Ayatollah Jannati praised Dr Mirza’s election as the first woman speaker of a Muslim country. He paid tribute to Benazir Bhutto and said that her assassination was an irreparable loss to Pakistan and the Muslim world.