Dar says Pakistan values Canada ties as Anita Anand begins Islamabad visit

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Monday that Pakistan places high importance on its relationship with Canada, as Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand arrived in Islamabad for talks.

Speaking during delegation-level discussions, Dar said there was room to expand bilateral engagement in trade, defence, and investment. He also pointed to the Pakistani diaspora in Canada as an important element in the long-standing relationship between the two countries, and said he hoped the talks would give fresh momentum to ties and lead to practical results.

Dar said the two sides should increase the frequency of official contacts in their respective capitals. He told the Canadian delegation that both countries had the capacity to strengthen cooperation across multiple sectors.

Anand, for her part, thanked the Pakistani side for the welcome. She said the trip was the first by a Canadian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly two decades and noted that the two countries have maintained diplomatic relations for around 80 years. Anand added that there was more work to be done in the relationship as the two sides moved forward with their engagement.