ISLAMABAD, May 20 (APP): Speaker National Assembly Dr. Fehmida Mirza said Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance that abhors terrorism and extremism in all it forms and manifestations and it was the responsibility of religious scholars to play their role to remove the misperceptions of the West about Islam.

She was speaking to the delegation of the Guardian Council Islamic Republic of Iran, headed by Ayatullah Ahmed Jannati, that called on the Speaker in the Parliament House Tuesday.

The Speaker said Ummah was confronting challenges that can be resolved through forging unity among the Muslim countries.  She said there were misperceptions in the western countries about Islam and urged religious scholars and media to play their role to dispel the misperception of west.

The Speaker said Pakistan and Iran are bonded in the eternal ties of religion, culture and history and there was commonality of views and perceptions of both the countries on all regional global issues. 

She said Pakistan believes in peaceful resolution of international problems and wanted peace in Iraq and Afghanistan as it was essential for peace and prosperity in the region.

The speaker said new parliament in Pakistan was facing challenges like energy shortages inflation and poverty in the country for which it needed time and support of friendly countries like Iran. 

She underlined the need for early start and rapid completion of the IPI Gas Pipeline Project. She also called for enhancing investment and economic  cooperation between the two countries.

The speaker stressed enhanced exchange of parliamentary delegations for strengthening ties between the two countries.

The Leader of Iranian Delegation Ayatullah Jannati said Iran appreciated Pakistan’s stance on issues in the region including Iran’s Nuclear stance. 

He appreciated the Speaker’s election as 1^st woman speaker of Muslim World and termed it a blessing for Pakistan and Muslim Ummah.

Paying tributes to late Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, he said that her  assassination was an irreparable loss to Pakistan and the Muslim World.