Pakistan won its independence from the British Empire on August 14, 1947. Iran was the first country to extend diplomatic recognition to the newborn Islamic state. Since that time Pakistan and Iran enjoyed close brotherly relations.

These bonds of friendship and brotherhood, based on commonality of interests, shared traditions, common faith and Islamic heritage are destined to grow stronger in the years ahead to the mutual benefit of the two nations.
Hafiz, Saadi, Rumi and Iqbal are household names in Pakistan and Iran. The leadership of Pakistan and Iran, at all levels, acknowledge and highlight the importance of all these common bonds.
There is a strong desire of the two peoples to further strengthen the bilateral ties in all fields. These relations have been marked by frequent high-level consultations between the leadership of the two countries.
The leadership and the governments of the two countries are fully committed and dedicated to carry forward the strong bonds of friendship and to utilize the institutional framework already in place for promoting political, economic and commercial relations for mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries. The two governments are determined to continue their efforts to further build on the mutual bonds and commonalities.
Pakistan and Iran share common perception on international and regional issues and closely cooperate at various world fora. Pakistan and Iran understand and appreciate each other’s position on different regional and international issues. As both countries are founding members of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), they are working together to promote cultural and economic cooperation among the member states of the organization.
In the regional context, the peace process initiated by Pakistan with India holds a great promise for the future of South Asia and in turn for peace and security of the whole region. Pakistan is fully committed to the dialogue process and is willing to go the extra mile to revive and revitalize it.
Pakistan and Iran are equally determined to fight the scourge of terrorism. Both countries are victims of it and are opposed to it in all its forms and manifestations.
The commercial and economic relations between Pakistan and Iran constitute an important aspect of their relations. It is a matter of satisfaction that these relations are growing with each passing day. The volume of bilateral trade in the year 2008-2009 was over 1 billion dollars.
The gas pipeline project represents the most important milestone on the road to enhancing bilateral economic relationship. In June, 2009, Pakistan and Iran signed Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) while the attached agreements that is, operations Agreement and Heads of Agreement for Transit and Transportation of Iranian gas to India have been finalized and will be signed shortly. The gas flow is scheduled to start in mid 2014. This will lay solid foundation for economic collaboration and bring economic progress and prosperity in both the countries.
It is a matter of great satisfaction that Pakistan and Iran are working in tandem to develop their deep-rooted historical ties strengthen regional and international cooperation and safeguard the interests of the Muslim Ummah. Both have made remarkable contribution towards global peace and security. The bonds of brotherhood between Pakistan and Iran would continue to grow in years ahead to the mutual advantage of the two brotherly peoples as well as for regional peace and security.
Every year, on March 23, the Pakistani people commemorate their National Day in remembrance of “The Pakistan Resolution” passed on March 23, 1940, in the historic city of Lahore.
On this day, the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent pledged to create an independent homeland, where they could live in accordance with their religious and cultural values.
This day reminds us of the momentous times when the Indian Muslims rallied around the dynamic leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and carved out an independent sovereign country.
From that momentous day in 1940, Pakistan has come a long way. Having attained independence on 14th August 1947 against seemingly insurmountable odds, the country has been confronted with many challenges both external and internal after independence.
It most certainly goes to the credit of the Pakistani nation that they have always risen to the occasion and successfully overcome adversity by demonstrating patriotism, steadfastness, resilience and unwavering faith in Almighty Allah.
The country is rapidly moving on the path of progress and development. Reforms in all sectors have been successfully introduced and are bearing fruit. A new direction has been given to the country in line with the principles observed by nation’s founding fathers. It is encouraging to note that the economic sector has witnessed impressive gains with around 6% GDP growth rate over the last five years.