TEHRAN: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a telephone call with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif demanded `serious and swift action` by Pakistan to secure the release of the abducted guards.

`We expect to hear good news in this regard,` he said, while calling for `joint action by both countries against terrorists`, the official Irna news agency reported.

Mr Sharif said the issue was of `utmost importance` to his government and that he was `prepared to boost action to free the soldiers`.-AFP