Pakistan, Canada move to expand trade, security and development cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Canada have agreed to widen cooperation in trade, investment, security and development, while Ottawa announced more than $47 million in assistance for security and development programmes in Pakistan during Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s visit.

At a joint media interaction at the Foreign Office with Anand, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the two countries shared long-standing and multi-dimensional relations supported by historical links, strong people-to-people connections and a large Pakistani diaspora in Canada. He said both sides agreed to sustain the momentum from the visit through stronger institutional engagement, regular bilateral consultations and closer coordination between relevant ministries and stakeholders.

Dar said economic cooperation remained a key part of bilateral relations, with talks focusing on increasing trade and investment, encouraging business-to-business links and advancing cooperation in sectors of shared interest. He invited Canadian firms to invest in Pakistan’s priority areas, including education, energy, mining and critical minerals, agriculture, infrastructure and information technology.

He said the two countries would later sign a new protocol in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to create predictable phytosanitary import conditions for Canadian canola. Dar also said Pakistan’s National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority, the Environment Protection Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency had agreed to examine technical cooperation and capacity building in food safety and agricultural trade.

On the proposed Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, Dar said both countries welcomed progress in negotiations and agreed to continue engagement for an early and mutually beneficial conclusion. He added that the discussions also covered education, labour mobility, science and technology, climate change, consular matters and people-to-people exchanges, besides views on Afghanistan and cooperation against terrorism.

Dar said he also raised the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, describing it as a long-unresolved matter on the United Nations Security Council agenda. He further called for Canada’s support for restoration of the Indus Waters Treaty and urged adherence to international law and treaty obligations.

Canadian support package and trade push

Anand said the trip was especially notable because it was the first by a Canadian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly 20 years, despite eight decades of diplomatic relations between the two countries. She said Pakistan held an important place in Canada’s strategy to diversify its global trade and noted that more than 300,000 Canadians of Pakistani origin continued to reinforce links between the two sides.

She said both governments had agreed to speed up completion of the investment protection agreement to give businesses in both countries greater certainty and confidence. On agricultural ties, Anand said Pakistan imported more than 470,000 tonnes of Canadian canola during the last crop year and thanked Pakistan for cooperation in facilitating market access for Canadian producers. She added that Canada was also looking for greater exports of Pakistani goods, including rice, textiles and sporting goods.

Anand said Canadian companies were increasing cooperation with Pakistan in renewable energy and mining, referring to the upcoming 240-megawatt Dhabeji hybrid wind and solar project being developed by JCM Power in partnership with Karachi Electric, as well as Barrick’s investment in the Reko Diq mining project.

She announced more than $2.2 million for three security cooperation projects focused on border management, counter-terrorism, financial crime investigations and law enforcement training through partnerships with Interpol, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. She also announced $45 million in new development assistance for climate resilience, girls’ education, reproductive health, family planning and flood recovery in Pakistan through partnerships with the Aga Khan Foundation of Canada, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Population Fund.

Anand also acknowledged Pakistan’s efforts to promote dialogue aimed at reducing regional tensions in the Middle East. She said Canada remained concerned about the escalation of conflict in the region, attacks on civilian infrastructure and threats to maritime security, and urged restraint and diplomatic solutions.

Meetings with prime minister, army chief and interior minister

In a separate meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan and Canada enjoyed friendly relations that should be expanded further, particularly in trade, investment, agriculture including agri-foods and vaccine manufacturing, renewable energy, and the automobile and auto parts sector. Anand thanked the prime minister for the welcome extended to her delegation and conveyed good wishes from Prime Minister Carney, saying her visit had been made on her prime minister’s instructions to broaden Canada’s ties with Pakistan.

She also expressed her government’s strong interest in exploring new trade and cooperation opportunities, especially in agriculture, mining, energy and the auto and auto parts industry, and said the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement would help improve confidence among Canadian investors considering Pakistan.

Anand also called on Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir at General Headquarters, where matters of mutual interest, regional security and Pakistan-Canada bilateral relations were discussed, according to an Inter-Services Public Relations statement. The statement said Field Marshal Munir outlined Pakistan’s perspective on global peace and regional stability and stressed cooperation to address shared security challenges. The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s continued efforts and sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and its constructive role in promoting peace and stability. Both sides reaffirmed their resolve to strengthen bilateral ties and expand defence and security engagement, the statement said.

Separately, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Anand reviewed the overall state of bilateral relations at the Ministry of Interior and discussed ways to enhance cooperation in trade, security and people-to-people exchanges. The meeting also covered cooperation against illegal immigration, human trafficking and cybercrime, with both sides stressing coordinated action on transnational security challenges.