KARACHI, Dec 23: A Pakistan-Iran Friendship Association has been formed with a view to further strengthen relations between the two countries at the people-to-people level.

This was stated by President of the Association, Justice (retd) Syed Sajjad Ali Shah at a news conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday.

“We extend heartfelt welcome to the Iranian President, Syed Mohammad Khatami, on his official visit to Pakistan,” he said, adding that the visit would further improve the deep friendly relations between the two countries.

He said the friendly relations between the two countries dated back to the pre-partition era of the subcontinent.

Sajjad Ali Shah, a former chief justice of Pakistan, said there was a lot of influence of Iran in the region and that Persian had remained official language of Sindh.

He pointed towards the Islamic revolution in Iran and said that Iran, with its Islamic government, is a role-model for Muslim countries.

He was of the view that Iran should help resolve the Kashmir dispute in order to normalise relations between Pakistan and India.

Pakistan should strengthen the bonds of friendship with the Muslim countries. With unity, he added, Muslims could make a headway and attain progress and prosperity.—APP