Pakistan, Canada agree to expand trade and investment ties, Ottawa announces $47 million aid

Pakistan and Canada agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, security and development, while Ottawa announced more than $47 million in assistance during Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand’s one-day visit to Islamabad.

Addressing a joint press stakeout with Anand, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said both countries would maintain the momentum generated by the visit through regular consultations, stronger institutional coordination and closer engagement between relevant ministries and stakeholders.

Dar invited Canadian companies to invest in Pakistan’s priority sectors, including education, energy, mining and critical minerals, agriculture, infrastructure and information technology.

The two sides also agreed to expedite the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement to provide greater certainty to businesses and investors in both countries.

Anand said her visit was the first by a Canadian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly 20 years, despite the two countries maintaining diplomatic relations for eight decades.

She said Canada was interested in expanding trade and cooperation in agriculture, mining, energy, automobiles and auto parts.

The two countries agreed to exchange trade and minerals delegations to identify investment opportunities and strengthen commercial ties.

Anand said Pakistan imported more than 470,000 tonnes of Canadian canola during the last crop year. She also expressed support for increased Canadian imports of Pakistani rice, textiles and sporting goods.

Following her meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Dar and Anand signed a protocol covering phytosanitary import requirements for genetically modified Canadian canola intended for food, feed and processing.

The Canadian minister highlighted JCM Power’s planned 240-megawatt Dhabeji hybrid wind and solar project with K-Electric and Barrick’s investment in the Reko Diq mining project as examples of growing commercial cooperation.

Canada will provide more than $2.2 million for three security projects covering border management, counterterrorism, financial crime investigations and law enforcement training.

The programmes will be implemented in partnership with Interpol, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Anand also announced $45 million in development assistance for climate resilience, girls’ education, reproductive health, family planning and flood recovery.

The initiatives will be implemented with the Aga Khan Foundation of Canada, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Population Fund.

The talks also covered education, labour mobility, science and technology, climate change, consular affairs, people-to-people exchanges, Afghanistan and counterterrorism cooperation.

Anand acknowledged Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions in the Middle East and expressed concern over attacks on civilian infrastructure, threats to maritime security and the wider escalation of the conflict. She urged all parties to exercise restraint and pursue diplomacy.

During a separate meeting with Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, both sides discussed trade, migration management, security cooperation and institutional coordination.