Islamabad, August 5, 2026: Pakistan and Australia have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations as senior officials from both countries held the 9th Pakistan-Australia Senior Officials’ Talks and the 10th Australia-Pakistan Joint Trade Committee (JTC) Meeting in Canberra.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Senior Officials’ Talks were held on August 4 and were led by Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary (Asia Pacific) Ambassador Dr. Syed Ali Asad Gillani and Australia’s First Assistant Secretary, South and Central Asia Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Sarah Storey.
The two sides conducted a comprehensive review of bilateral relations and discussed expanding cooperation across a broad range of sectors, including high-level exchanges, political engagement, economic development, science and technology, education, defence, security, counter-terrorism, transnational crime and climate change.
They also exchanged views on regional and international developments and explored greater coordination at multilateral forums. During the discussions, the Pakistani delegation briefed the Australian side on Islamabad’s efforts to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, the regional situation in South Asia, developments in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), and India’s continued violations of the Indus Waters Treaty.
On the same day, the two countries also held the 10th Australia-Pakistan Joint Trade Committee Meeting, with Pakistan’s delegation led by Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul Khawaja, while the Australian side was again headed by Sarah Storey.
The meeting focused on enhancing bilateral trade and investment, particularly in the agriculture, livestock, information technology, mining and services sectors. Both sides also discussed improving market access, addressing trade-related issues concerning Pakistan’s textile exports, and examining the impact of evolving global trade dynamics on bilateral commerce.
The two delegations further explored opportunities for deeper cooperation within multilateral trading frameworks, including the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The Foreign Office said the discussions provided an opportunity to review progress in bilateral relations, identify new avenues of collaboration and reinforce momentum towards a stronger and mutually beneficial partnership.
