ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Thursday said that the visit of Canadian parliamentarians would further strengthen the existing Pakistan-Canada friendly relations and provide momentum to the efforts aimed at forging greater cooperation in all areas of mutual interest, including trade and promotion of people-to-people contact.
The prime minister said this while talking to a delegation of the Canadian parliamentarians headed by MP Yasmin Ratansi, which called on him at the Prime Minister’s Office. The delegation comprised of Senators Salma Ataullah Jan and Diane F Griffin, and MPs Terry Duguid, Robert Kitchen, Murray Rankin and Ramesh Sangha.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Canada Tariq Azim Khan, Canadian High Commissioner Perry John Calderwood and Romina Khursheed Aslam were also present during the meeting.
The prime minister said that Pakistan was a country of great diversity and carried huge economic opportunities. He said that the resilient people of Pakistan had successfully fought the war against terrorism to secure peace not only for the country but for the entire region as well.
He said that the country’s economy had witnessed steady growth during the recent years, which was expected to reach 6 per cent during the current financial year. He also highlighted the positive impact of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project under the One Belt One Road initiative towards the socio-economic development of the region and the enhancement of regional connectivity.
Discussing the regional situation with the visiting delegation, the prime minister highlighted the efforts of Pakistan for peace in the neighbouring Afghanistan. He also emphasised upon the need for resolution of the long-standing issue of Kashmir according to the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions for ensuring lasting peace in the region.
Thanking the prime minister for the meeting, the delegation stated that the visit would help them develop better understanding of the country. Observing that a large number of Pakistani expatriates in Canada were serving as ‘ambassadors’ and a bridge to bring the two countries closer to each other, the delegation expressed keen desire to further strengthen Pakistan-Canada bilateral relations.
