Islamabad, Feb 13, IRNA -- Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran and Special Assistant to Pakistan's Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development on Thursday discussed ways to boost people-to-people contacts and mutual cooperation in tourism sector.

Sayed Zulfiqar Abbas Bukhari, also Chairman of Pakistan's National Tourism Board, during the meeting briefed Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Ali Hosseini about the opportunities available in Pakistan’s tourism industry.

The two sides emphasized strengthening of cooperation and expansion of bilateral relations in various fields, especially the tourism industry.

The ambassador of Iran said that Iran is ready to develop joint cooperation with Pakistan to promote tourism, especially the religious tourism.

Hosseini emphasized the importance of people-to-people contacts and stressed the need to increase direct flights between Iran and Pakistan due to the growing number of Pakistani pilgrims to Iran and Iraq.

According to facts and figures each year at least 120,000 Pakistani pilgrims travel to Iran, especially in the months of Muharram and Safar, and many of them after their pilgrimage to Mashad and Qom also visit holy sites in Iraq.

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