Pakistan, Canada agree to deepen trade, investment ties

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on Sunday agreed to further strengthen bilateral relations, with a particular focus on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, energy and industrial sectors. Foreign Minister Anand, who is on an official visit to Pakistan, called on Prime Minister Shehbaz at the PM House in Islamabad. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain and other senior officials were also present during the meeting. The prime minister welcomed the Canadian foreign minister and said Pakistan and Canada enjoyed friendly relations that should be further expanded, particularly in trade and investment, agriculture and agri-foods, vaccine manufacturing, renewable energy, and the automobile and auto parts industries. Shehbaz conveyed his good wishes to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and expressed his desire to meet him in the near future. He also recalled his telephone conversation with the Canadian premier in April and thanked Canada for supporting Pakistan’s efforts for regional peace. FM Anand conveyed PM Carney’s greetings and said her visit was aimed at broadening Canada’s engagement with Pakistan on the instructions of the Canadian prime minister. She expressed Canada’s interest in exploring new avenues of cooperation, particularly in agriculture, mining, energy, and the automotive sector. The two sides also discussed the importance of the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPPA), with Anand noting that the agreement would help boost Canadian investors’ confidence in Pakistan. Both sides acknowledged the Pakistani-Canadian community as an important bridge between the two countries and agreed to exchange delegations in trade and minerals sectors to identify mutually beneficial opportunities and enhance bilateral economic cooperation. Following the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz witnessed the signing of a protocol on phytosanitary regulations governing the import of canola from Canada to Pakistan. The agreement was signed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on behalf of their respective countries. DPM Dar, Canadian FM agree to hold annual progress reviews Earlier today, DPM Dar met with Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Anand in Islamabad to discuss key aspects of Pakistan-Canada relations. During the meeting, both leaders reviewed recent developments in bilateral ties and exchanged views on pressing regional and international issues. Reaffirming their commitment to strengthening a mutually beneficial partnership, the two sides agreed to expand cooperation across priority sectors. To ensure sustained momentum, both countries decided to hold annual meetings to regularly review progress on their agreed Joint Statement. The Foreign Office, in a curtain raiser press release a day ago, stated that Pakistan and Canada maintain cordial bilateral relations that are anchored in close people-to-people ties, which are further enriched by a vibrant Pakistani diaspora in Canada. “This diplomatic visit underscores a shared commitment from both Ottawa and Islamabad to expand mutual cooperation across multiple sectors, ” it had said. On April 27, Dar and Anand engaged in a comprehensive discussion on the regional tensions in the Middle East and the efforts to promote peace and stability. In their exchange, Dar had emphasised Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to dialogue and diplomacy, underscoring the importance of peaceful negotiations in the region. Furthermore, both ministers had also taken stock of the progress in Pakistan-Canada bilateral relations. They had reviewed areas of cooperation, with particular focus on trade, agriculture, and other key sectors. Dar and Minister Anand had agreed on the need to accelerate high-level exchanges to further solidify ties between the two nations. The leaders had reaffirmed their commitment to fostering strong and enduring ties, paving the way for enhanced cooperation in diverse areas critical for both countries’ economic and political growth.

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