Islamabad, July 21, 2026 – The Europe Today: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Monday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening relations with Canada, emphasizing the need to expand bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, renewable energy, vaccine manufacturing, and the automobile and auto parts industry.
The prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand, who is on an official visit to Pakistan, at the Prime Minister’s House.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain, Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr. Syed Tauqir Shah, and other senior government officials attended the meeting.
Prime Minister Shehbaz conveyed his best wishes to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and expressed his desire to meet him in the near future. He also recalled his telephone conversation with the Canadian prime minister in April and thanked Canada for its support for Pakistan’s efforts to promote regional peace.
Foreign Minister Anita Anand expressed appreciation for the warm welcome extended to her and her delegation, conveying Prime Minister Carney’s greetings and stating that her visit reflected Canada’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations with Pakistan.
She said the Canadian government was keen to explore new opportunities for cooperation in key sectors, including agriculture, mining, energy, and the automobile and auto parts industry. Anand also noted that the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPPA) would play an important role in boosting Canadian investor confidence and encouraging greater investment in Pakistan.
The two sides acknowledged the valuable role of the Pakistani-Canadian community in strengthening people-to-people ties and serving as a bridge between the two countries.
Both delegations agreed to exchange trade and mineral sector delegations to identify mutually beneficial opportunities and further enhance bilateral trade and investment.
Following the meeting, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif witnessed the signing of a protocol on phytosanitary regulations governing the import of Canadian canola into Pakistan. The agreement was signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on behalf of their respective governments.
The meeting underscored the shared commitment of Pakistan and Canada to deepening economic cooperation and expanding collaboration across a range of strategic sectors for the mutual benefit of both countries.
