Pakistani PM, Canadian FM Hold Talks on Expanding Bilateral Partnership

Pakistan and Canada have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations during high-level meetings held in Islamabad on July 20, 2026. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand discussed expanding cooperation across trade, investment, security, agriculture, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing sectors.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the importance of deepening economic engagement, particularly in agri-foods, vaccine manufacturing, renewable energy, and the automobile and auto parts industry. He also conveyed greetings to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and expressed optimism about meeting him soon. The Prime Minister thanked Canada for supporting Pakistan’s regional peace efforts.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Canadian FM Anita Anand led delegation-level talks at the Foreign Office, where both sides agreed to institutionalize annual review meetings to track progress on bilateral initiatives. The discussions focused on advancing a modern Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement aimed at boosting trade and investment flows between the two countries. Anand noted that both governments are committed to concluding the agreement at the earliest to provide a secure and predictable environment for businesses.

Canada also announced more than $47 million in assistance for security and development initiatives in Pakistan, including enhanced cooperation through Interpol and UN-linked security programs. The two sides reaffirmed their intention to expand collaboration in priority sectors and strengthen their long-standing partnership.

Foreign Minister Dar hailed Anand’s visit as an “important milestone” in Pakistan–Canada relations, underscoring that economic cooperation remains a key priority for Islamabad. Both sides expressed confidence that the renewed momentum in bilateral engagement would translate into tangible progress in the months ahead.