Pakistan urges progress on investment protection agreement with Canada

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has pressed Canada to advance talks on an investment protection pact, aiming to draw more Canadian capital into Pakistan, according to Profit by Pakistan Today. He raised the issue with Randeep Sarai, who serves as Canada's secretary of state for international development, on the margins of the World Bank Group and IMF annual meetings in Bangkok. He also pointed to the stabilisation of the Pakistani economy and called for wider bilateral cooperation.

The two sides discussed prospects in farming, agrotechnology, livestock and food security, with private-sector participation emphasised. The Barrick mining project was also on the agenda, covering a security review, financing terms and its prospective role in exports and jobs. Aurangzeb also flagged opportunities in IT services, AI skills, virtual assets and remittances from the Canadian diaspora.

The officials also exchanged views on Pakistan's mediation efforts and on how the regional conflict is affecting energy markets, fertiliser availability and food security globally. Aurangzeb expressed gratitude to Canada for flood relief, named tourism as another field for cooperation and asked Sarai to visit Pakistan.