ISLAMABAD: Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand met Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in Islamabad on Monday, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation across key sectors.
Anand’s visit marks her first official trip to Pakistan since assuming office. She arrived at the invitation of Dar, who received her at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the two ministers reviewed recent developments in Pakistan-Canada relations and exchanged views on regional and international issues.
They agreed to deepen their mutually beneficial partnership, expand cooperation in priority areas, and hold annual meetings to review progress under a previously agreed Joint Statement.
The visit comes as Pakistan seeks to attract foreign investment and boost trade while implementing economic reforms under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.
Pakistan and Canada maintain longstanding diplomatic relations dating back to 1947. Bilateral merchandise trade exceeded $1.2 billion in 2025, with cooperation spanning agri-food, manufacturing, and consumer goods.
Canadian mining company Barrick Gold is also leading the development of Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper-gold project in partnership with the federal and Balochistan governments, making it one of the largest foreign investment projects in the country.
Canada is home to an estimated 500,000 people of Pakistani origin, making it one of the largest Pakistani diaspora communities outside Asia.
