Pakistan, Canada reaffirm commitment to boost ties

Canadian deputy FM lauds Pakistan’s role for Afghan peace

KARACHI:

Canada and Pakistan on Sunday reaffirmed their commitment to remain engaged to further boost bilateral relations, which has been increased with the passage of time in different spheres of cooperation.

The consensus was reached the ‘4th Round of Bilateral Political Consultations’ held between Pakistan and Canada here, according to a statement shared by the Office of the spokesperson Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Facebook.

Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood led the Pakistan delegation while the Canadian side was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Marta Morgan.

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“The two sides affirmed their commitment to remain constructively and meaningfully engaged to further reinforce Pakistan-Canada bilateral relations,” it read.

A wide range of bilateral relations, as well as regional and multilateral issues of mutual interest, were discussed during the meeting.

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Welcoming the delegation, the foreign secretary said that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had conveyed congratulatory messages to their respective Canadian counterparts following the recent elections.

“Pakistan and Canada have enjoyed a longstanding, friendly and cordial relationship,” he said, adding that Islamabad was committed to developing a multifaceted partnership with Ottawa, with a particular focus on trade and investment.

Foreign Secretary Mahmood said: “Pakistan is firmly focusing on imperatives of geo-economics and pursuing policies that will promote peace, development partnerships, and regional connectivity.”

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He informed the visiting delegation of Pakistan’s facilitative investment and trade regime. He further invited Canadian companies to invest in Pakistan and seek dividends from a large consumer market and economic opportunities in the country and the region.

As the Covid-19 situation was improving, he stressed the need for resuming high-level exchanges between both countries and realising the vast potential of bilateral ties.

The foreign secretary further highlighted the contribution of the large Pakistani diaspora in Canada, forming a strong bridge between the two countries. “There is a need to facilitate people-to-people movement between the two countries and I hope that more Pakistani students will be able to travel to Canada under the Student Direct Stream Programme,” Mahmood said.

“He emphasised that, given the major improvement in the security situation, Canada may revise its travel advisory enabling people to travel across both countries and the businesses to grow,” it read.

In the regional context, the foreign secretary shared Pakistan’s perspective on the latest developments in Afghanistan and underscored the importance of continued and positive engagement of the international community with Afghanistan for lasting peace and stability.

The foreign secretary underlined the urgent humanitarian and economic challenges in Afghanistan and stressed the need for immediate steps to mitigate the sufferings of the Afghan people. “The release of Afghanistan’s financial assets was another step that would be helpful in this regard,” he said and cautioned against the forces that could play the role of “spoilers”.

He also highlighted Pakistan’s perspective on issues of stability in Asia, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

“The Canadian deputy foreign minister noted that Pakistan was a longstanding friend and reaffirmed Canada’s desire to build a multifaceted relationship with Pakistan with increased people-to-people exchanges,” it read.

She appreciated Pakistan’s assistance in the evacuation of Canadian nationals from Afghanistan and lauded Pakistan’s role in efforts for bringing stability to Afghanistan.