By The South Asia Times

ISLAMABAD -  Pakistan and Canada agreed on Monday to strengthen economic cooperation, expand trade and investment, and institutionalize annual high-level consultations as Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand paid the first bilateral visit by a Canadian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly two decades.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar welcomed Anand at Pakistan's Foreign Ministry before the two sides held talks covering bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues.

According to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the two countries' partnership, agreed to expand cooperation in priority sectors and decided to hold annual meetings to review progress on an agreed joint statement.

The ministry described Anand's visit—her first since taking office—as "an important milestone" in Pakistan-Canada relations, reflecting both countries' commitment to enhancing bilateral engagement.

Speaking at a joint news conference after the talks, Dar said Pakistan and Canada enjoy long-standing ties supported by strong people-to-people links and a large Pakistani diaspora in Canada.

"Economic cooperation remains a key priority," Dar said, adding that the two sides explored ways to boost trade and investment, encourage greater business-to-business engagement and attract Canadian investment in sectors including education, energy, mining and critical minerals, agriculture, infrastructure and information technology.

The ministers also discussed cooperation in education, labor mobility, science and technology, climate change, and people-to-people exchanges, according to Pakistan's Foreign Ministry.

Dar said the two countries would sign a new protocol governing import conditions for Canadian canola, while Pakistan's National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority (NAFSA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency would explore technical cooperation and capacity-building initiatives.

He added that both sides welcomed continued discussions toward concluding a Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (FIPPA) aimed at encouraging bilateral investment.

On regional issues, Dar said he and Anand exchanged views on developments in Afghanistan, counterterrorism cooperation and broader international affairs.

He also raised Pakistan's concerns over the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), urging Canada to support the treaty's restoration and oppose what he described as the "weaponization of water." Dar said Pakistan also discussed the long-standing dispute over Jammu and Kashmir, which remains on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council.

For her part, Anand described the visit as an important step in advancing bilateral relations.

"This is the first visit of a Canadian foreign minister to Pakistan in almost 20 years," she said, noting that the two countries have maintained diplomatic relations for around 80 years.

"There is continued work to do to deepen our ties in the area of economic relationships, trade and investment," Anand said, while emphasizing the importance of strengthening cooperation across multiple sectors.

The visit comes as both governments seek to expand economic engagement and capitalize on the contributions of the more than 300,000-strong Pakistani diaspora in Canada, which serves as an important bridge between the two countries.

Pakistan and Canada maintain diplomatic relations across a wide range of areas, including trade, development, education and security cooperation, with both sides expressing optimism that Anand's visit will provide fresh momentum for future collaboration.