Pakistan, Canada bilateral trade hits $1bn

January 13, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan and Canada bilateral trade has crossed the $1 billion annual mark, a milestone marked at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) where Samir Dossal, President of the Canada Pakistan Business Council (CPBC), performed the ceremonial market opening.

The event showed growing institutional engagement between Pakistan’s capital market and the Canadian business community, at a time when Pakistan’s equity market has shown strong performance following recent macroeconomic stabilization.

PSX Chairman Ruhail Muhamad and Managing Director and CEO Farrukh H. Sabzwari attended the ceremony, along with representatives from the financial and corporate sectors.

Speaking at the occasion, Dossal said the recent performance of the Pakistan stock market sends a positive signal to foreign investors, including those from Canada, indicating that Pakistan has navigated recent economic challenges and is positioned for sustained growth.

He noted that Pakistan’s population of over 240m offers a large and expanding market for Canadian goods and services, while the Pakistani-origin Canadian diaspora continues to support two-way investment, skills transfer, and business linkages.

Trade between the two countries has expanded more than threefold over the past decade, rising from around $300m in 2012 to over $1bn annually.

Recent growth has been supported by progress in agrifood trade, education partnerships, and the expansion of Canadian brands in Pakistan, according to the press release.

In agrifood, regulatory issues that had constrained trade were resolved after three years, enabling the import of approximately 500,000 tons of Canadian canola through Karachi port.

The transaction followed coordination between authorities in both countries, with facilitation by the Pakistan High Commission in Canada.

In the education sector, CPBC supported an academic partnership between NED University of Engineering & Technology and Toronto Metropolitan University, aimed at strengthening collaboration in research and innovation.

Canadian consumer brands have also expanded their presence in Pakistan.

Tim Hortons has opened flagship outlets in Karachi and Lahore, Mary Brown’s Chicken has entered the local market, and Second Cup continues to operate more than 50 outlets nationwide.

CPBC is also engaged with the Canadian Alliance for Trade through CATYES.org, aligned with Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.

The Canada Pakistan Business Council, which recently marked over four decades of operations, plays a central role in facilitating bilateral trade and investment flows between the two countries.

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