DPM Dar meets Australian, Canadian counterparts to discuss bilateral trade

F.P. Report

KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar on Thursday met Australian Foreign Minister Senator Hon Penny Wong on the sidelines of 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting here.

The deputy prime minister reaffirmed strong Pakistan-Australia ties and resolved to enhance cooperation in trade, education, and people-to-people links. In a “productive and forward-looking engagement,” he said that Pakistani diaspora and cricket were a living bridge between the countries.

Both sides agreed to boost bilateral trade, currently at $1.186 billion, promote academic partnerships, and increase high-level political exchanges.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar met with the Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand in Kuala Lumpur today on the sidelines of the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting. The two sides acknowledged the positive trajectory of the Pak-Canada bilateral relations. They discussed and agreed to upscale and strengthen economic and trade relations.

Meanwhile, Pakistan and Lao have expressed their commitment to further enhancing bilateral cooperation particularly in trade and investment, education, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges.

The understanding to this effect reached during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thongsavanh Phomvihane, on the side-lines of the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur today. During the meeting, the two leaders reviewed the progress of ongoing bilateral engagements.