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.

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

Pakistan and Canada on Thursday acknowledging the positive trajectory of bilateral relations, agreed to upscale and strengthen their economic and trade ties.

The bilateral relations were discussed in a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand on the sidelines of 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting here in the Malaysian capital city.

The deputy prime minister invited the Canadian foreign minister to visit Pakistan, which the latter accepted.