Vice-Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Mohammad-Hassan Abutorabifard on Thursday urged Islamabad to take practical steps to complete the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline as quickly as possible, according to IRNA News Agency.
Abutorabifard, who is in Lahore to participate in the Asian Parliamentary Assembly session, made the remarks in a meeting with Chairman of Pakistan's Senate Nayyar Hussain Bukhari.
Abutorabifard said that Pakistani officials have to turn good words into good deeds and practically support the IP pipeline project.
Iranian most senior officials, particularly Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, attach special significance to promotion of ties with Pakistan and want the joint pipeline to be completed at the earliest, Abutorabifard said.
Referring to nearly 1,000 kilometers of joint land borders, in addition to long sea borders, the senior Iranian lawmaker said that Iran and Pakistan as two of the biggest and most populous countries of Asia and the Muslim world must develop broad cultural, economic and political relations with each other.
Abutorabifard also urged the government of Islamabad to take proper action to prevent terrorists attacks against Iranian border areas from Pakistani soil.
The Pakistani side, for his part, said he believed cooperation between Tehran and Islamabad, especially in the field of economy and fight against terrorism should be given a boost.
Bukhari voiced Pakistan's readiness to hold regular meetings with Iran to restore security to joint borders.
He said Pakistan is in contact with international groups to remove obstacles on the way of completing the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project, expressing hope that with collective cooperation the problems will be solved.