The Canada Pakistan Business Council (CPBC) led a delegation to visit Pakistan Stock Exchange to open the trading session with the gong ceremony. Canada Pakistan Business Council is a non-profit organisation based in Canada which promotes trade between Canada and Pakistan. CPBC has organised several trade missions to and from Canada which have resulted in investments in various sectors of the economy. The Canadian delegation was led by Samir Dossal, President of CPBC and Dr Reza Moridi, former Minister of Ontario for Research, Science & Innovation. The Canadian delegation consisted of 15 delegates along with Margaux McDonald, Senior Trade Commissioner, High Commission of Canada in Pakistan. The PSX team comprised of the Managing Director, Richard Morin, Board Member, Shehzad Chamdia, and senior management of PSX.
Samir Dossal thanked the PSX team for inviting him and his delegation for the ceremony. He said, "Canada and Pakistan's trade was previously totaling $400 million which has recently increased to $1.5 billion. But it is still less and we are here to see possibilities of this trade and investment relation increasing manifold." He added that appointment of Margaux McDonald as Senior Trade Commissioner of Canada in Pakistan was an indication of how serious Canada is in increasing trade relations with Pakistan.
Opening the trading day by striking the gong, Dr Reza Moridi said, "Apart from business, Canada and Pakistan have great potential in terms of exchange of science and technology". On Canada and Pakistan's trade potential, he added, "To be realistic, I think we can increase this bilateral trade of $1.4 billion to $4 - 5 billion easily in the next maybe three or four years."
After the gong ceremony, an informal meeting took place between the PSX team and the Canadian delegation. Concluding the meeting, Richard Morin and the PSX team thanked the Canadian delegation for their visit. Morin hoped that further economic cooperation between Canada and Pakistan on trade and business front, through the fruitful efforts of CPBC, will lead to better prospects for the development and progress of Pakistan's economy while providing for greater trade benefits and cooperation for Canadian businesses and industries.-PR