Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand has concluded a landmark visit to Islamabad after meeting with Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, committing over $47 million toward security and development initiatives.
During her high-level diplomatic tour, marking the first visit by a Canadian foreign minister in nearly twenty years, the visiting dignitary travelled to the General Headquarters (GHQ) to meet with CDF Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.
During the discussions, the military leadership highlighted Pakistan’s perspective on global peace and regional stability, underscoring the importance of cooperation and collaborative efforts to address common security challenges.
On her visit Foreign Minister Anita Anand stated: “Canada is pursuing a trade diversification strategy, and we will double non-US trade over the next 10 years,” adding that “Pakistan is an important country in terms of our trade diversification strategy.”
Anand later held comprehensive talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, focusing heavily on bilateral trade, investment, and regional stability.
The resulting financial package includes $2.2 million dedicated to security projects targeting border management and counter-terrorism, alongside $45 million directed toward climate resilience, education, and flood recovery.
In a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the visiting minister expressed the Canadian government’s keen interest in exploring new opportunities for trade and bilateral cooperation, particularly across agriculture, mining, energy, and automotive sectors.
She emphasised that the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPPA) would prove instrumental in enhancing investor confidence, while conveying warm wishes from Canadian leadership to further strengthen bilateral ties.
Detailing the exchange, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) noted that Prime Minister Sharif stated: “The two countries enjoyed friendly ties that needed to be further expanded, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, agriculture, including agri-foods and vaccine manufacturing, renewable energy, as well as the automobile and auto parts industry.”
To cap off the visit, Islamabad and Ottawa formally signed a protocol on phytosanitary import requirements for canola, before Anand departed to continue her regional tour.
