https://twitter.com/home https://www.facebook.com/Shabbir.Hussain191By Shabbir Hussain
ISLAMABAD, July 21 (Alliance News): Pakistan and Canada on Monday agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, security, climate resilience and sustainable development, as Canada announced more than $47 million in new assistance for security cooperation and development initiatives in Pakistan.
The understanding was reached during delegation-level talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, who is on her first official visit to Pakistan. The visit marks the first by a Canadian foreign minister in nearly two decades.
Addressing a joint press stakeout after the talks, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan and Canada enjoyed longstanding and multifaceted relations built on strong people-to-people ties, shared interests and the contribution of a vibrant Pakistani diaspora in Canada.
He said both countries agreed to institutionalise bilateral engagement through regular consultations, enhanced cooperation between ministries and annual review meetings to monitor progress under a joint roadmap.
Dar said economic cooperation remained a key pillar of bilateral relations, with both sides discussing measures to expand trade, encourage business-to-business linkages and attract greater investment in priority sectors.
He invited Canadian companies to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan’s education, energy, mining and critical minerals, agriculture, infrastructure and information technology sectors.
The deputy prime minister announced that Pakistan and Canada signed a Protocol on Phytosanitary Regulations to establish predictable import conditions for Canadian canola, describing the agreement as an important step towards strengthening agricultural trade.
He added that Pakistan’s National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority, the Environment Protection Agency and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency would also collaborate on food safety standards, technical cooperation and capacity building.
Referring to negotiations on the proposed Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), Dar welcomed the progress achieved and expressed confidence that both countries would conclude the agreement at the earliest to facilitate greater investment.
The talks also covered cooperation in education, labour mobility, science and technology, climate change, consular affairs and people-to-people exchanges. The two sides also exchanged views on regional developments, including Afghanistan and counter-terrorism cooperation.
On regional issues, Dar highlighted the Jammu and Kashmir dispute as a longstanding issue on the United Nations Security Council agenda and called for Canada’s support for the restoration of the Indus Waters Treaty, stressing the importance of respecting international law and treaty obligations.
Speaking on the occasion, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand described her visit as a historic milestone, noting that it was the first visit by a Canadian foreign minister to Pakistan in almost 20 years despite nearly eight decades of diplomatic relations.
She said Pakistan occupied an important place in Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy and efforts to diversify global trade. She also highlighted the contribution of more than 300,000 Canadians of Pakistani origin in strengthening bilateral ties.
Anand appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to promote dialogue aimed at reducing tensions in the Middle East and reaffirmed Canada’s support for diplomatic engagement to maintain regional peace and stability.
She said both governments had agreed to accelerate negotiations on the FIPA to provide investors with greater certainty and confidence.
Highlighting economic cooperation, Anand said Pakistan imported more than 470,000 tonnes of Canadian canola during the last crop year and expressed hope for increased exports of Pakistani products, including rice, textiles and sporting goods, to the Canadian market.
She also pointed to expanding Canadian investment in Pakistan, including the 240-megawatt Dhabeji hybrid wind and solar project being developed by JCM Power in partnership with Karachi Electric and Barrick Gold’s investment in the Reko Diq mining project.
Announcing new initiatives, Anand said Canada would provide more than $2.2 million for security cooperation projects focusing on border management, counter-terrorism, financial crime investigations and law enforcement training through partnerships with Interpol, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
In addition, Canada will provide $45 million in development assistance to support climate resilience, girls’ education, reproductive health, family planning and flood recovery programmes through the Aga Khan Foundation Canada, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Later, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand called on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding cooperation with Canada in trade, investment, agriculture, renewable energy, mining, vaccine manufacturing and the automobile sector.
The prime minister thanked Canada for supporting Pakistan’s efforts for regional peace and expressed the hope of meeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the near future.
Both sides agreed to enhance exchanges of trade and investment delegations, particularly in the minerals sector, while recognising the Pakistani-Canadian community as a vital bridge between the two friendly countries.
