The 5th Round of Pakistan-Canada Bilateral Political Consultations was held in Ottawa on April 26, 2024. The Pakistan side was led byAmbassador Mariam Aftab, Additional Foreign Secretary (Americas), while the Canadian delegation was headed by Assistant Deputy Minister (Indo-Pacific) Weldon Epp, Global Affairs Canada.
The two sides reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and identified opportunities and possibilities for further cooperation, especially in the spheres of trade, investment, education, parliamentary exchanges, counter terrorism and people-to-people contacts. The Additional Foreign Secretary briefed on Pakistan’s foreign policy priorities and invited Canadian companies to invest in energy, mining and IT sectors in Pakistan.
The two sides discussed mutual collaboration at international fora, including the UN, and agreed to further deepen cooperation. They expressed satisfaction at the overall progress in bilateral relations and committed to enhance cooperation in all fields of mutual interest.
The Canadian side was apprised of recent developments in the South Asian region, especially Afghanistan, Pakistan-India relations and human rights violations in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The 6th round of Bilateral Political Consultations will be held in Islamabad at mutually convenient dates.—PR