At PCTA, our goal is to establish connections between investors and opportunities. Our platform encourages dialogue and collaboration between businesses in Pakistan and Canada, creating an environment that supports the flourishing of investments. Whether you are in search of investment opportunities or aiming to invest, PCTA is dedicated to bridging the gap.
Our Mission
Our mission is to actively promote and facilitate economic activities,
encompassing trade, investment, and tourism, between Pakistan and the Canadian Provinces, Territories of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontatio, Saskatchewan, Northwest Territories, Yukon, Nunavut, etc. We are dedicated to establishing international standards and best practices, garnering public support for international investments, and enhancing Pakistan's image as an attractive investment hub.
Our Core Values
Our core values encompass promoting entrepreneurship, international trade,
and investments, coordinating with the High Commission of Canada and the
Consul General of Pakistan, facilitating business discussions, and collaborating
with relevant government entities to shape favorable policies.
team
Board of Directors
Pakistan Canada Trade association (PCTA) was established in 2021 under the patronage of the Consul General of Pakistan in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Mr. Janbaz Khan commenced his career in Pakistan's foreign services, in July 1998. With a tenure spanning 24 years, he has held diplomatic roles in Turkey, India, Germany, France, and Sri Lanka. Currently, he serves as the Consul General of Pakistan in Vancouver, overseeing Western Canada. While stationed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Islamabad, Pakistan, Mr. Khan contributed his expertise to various divisions, including the European Division, African Division, Personnel Division, Protocol Division, and twice in the Directorate handling affairs related to India.
Bushra Rehman is an accomplished and driven entrepreneur with a passion for political science. As a prominent community activist, proactively nurturing trade relations between Pakistan and Western Canada, Bushra Rehman strategically links influential figures in both regions, fortifying future trade connections.
Currently serving as the CEO of the BR Group of companies and holding the position of Commerce Committee Member at the Senate of Pakistan. Bushra manages multiple thriving logistics and freight businesses across Canada and the US while also exploring ventures in Pakistan tourism. Her diverse endeavors create significant impact in trade and cultural avenues, driving advancement for both Pakistan and Western Canada.
Mr. Luquman Shaheen is a strategic-minded mining entrepreneur with over 30 yearsof experience in the sector. Luquman currently serves as the President, CEO and Director of Panoro Minerals is a TSX-V listed mineral exploration company with advanced staged exploration and development assets in Peru. Under his stewardship, Panoro Minerals has advanced a number of large-scale copper exploration projects to the development stage with combined resources of over 1bn tonnes and a combined valuation of over $US 1 bn.
Through public and private placements, joint ventures, asset sales and streaming agreements Mr. Shaheen has arranged over $650 million in financing. Mr. Shaheen has an undergraduate degree in engineering from the University of British Columbia and a master’s degree in business administration from Simon Fraser University, both in Vancouver, Canada. He is a professional engineer in the province of British Columbia and in the states of Alaska and Washington. His professional experience has included business in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, China, Japan and Pakistan.
Malik Sohail Hussain has vast experience under his belt.He is the serving Secretary General U.S. Pakistan International Chamber of Commerce (USPICC) and now Secretary General Pakistan Western Canada Trade Association, Pakistan Chapter .He’s previously served as Chairman Coordination (2018-2019) Pakistan American Business Association , Chairman Coordination (2015-2018) Capital office Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and industry.
He’s also been GB Member (2015) Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and industry and Executive Member (2014-15) Islamabad Builders & Developers Association. His most important assignment being Chairman Coordination (2014-15) SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Pakistan Chapter) and General Assembly Member (2015-16) SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Pakistan Chapter).
Rabia Dastgir is a fashion designer, who graduated from the esteemed Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design, with over 16 years of experience in textiles. She is currently working with one of the largest US uniform companies Edward’s X as their VP of Operations and Sustainable Design for custom apparel and works closely with fabric mills and value-added garment manufacturers in Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, Africa and the Americas.
With a keen interest in sustainable practices, she has furthered her expertise in sustainable business strategies and circular economy through certifications from Harvard Business School and Cambridge University and is passionate about moving closer to a sustainable circular global economy through her ongoing projects.
Lieutenant General Umar Farooq Durrani joined Pakistan Army in the prestigious Armored Corps. During his illustrious career of 34 years, he has held various Command positions to include Command of brigades, armoured division and a Strike Corps. His vast staff experience embraces the position of a brigade major, Chief of staff of a corps and Vice Chief of General Staff. He has also held various instructional positions at the most prestigious Defense Colleges and Universities of Pakistan Armed Forces.
General Durrani has a very rich experience in Human Resource Development and its application on the ground. He was also the Chief Executive of Pakistan’s Ordnance Factories which are a mega-conglomerate of Commercial and Operational Production Houses of defence-related equipment. He is a Graduate of Pakistan’s Command and Staff College Quetta and National Defense University, Islamabad. General Durrani has also undertaken courses at National Defense University, JFSC Norfolk, Virginia, USA as well as Cranfield University, Royal Military College of Science, UK. He has authored numerous publications as well.
Usman obtained his Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia and his law degree from the University of New Brunswick. He was called to the British Columbia Bar in 2000 and has been a member in good standing since. Before starting his own practice, Usman worked at a boutique downtown law firm where he acted for clients on a number of complex and precedent-setting lawsuits.
Usman, a member of the Canadian Bar Association and Trial Lawyers of British Columbia, is fluent in English, Urdu, Punjabi, and Hindi. He is also actively involved in the local Pakistani community and is a member of the South Asian Bar Association of British Columbia. Outside of the law, Usman enjoys playing sports, attending concerts and travelling. He is actively involved in local and federal politics, and in film production
Mr. Mark Zielke is an Entrepreneur and Advocate for Justice, residing in Saskatoon. Mr. Zielke focuses on connecting like-minded entrepreneurs in the business community. Providing financing solutions and corporate/commercial legal solutions are also a top priority.
Mr. Zielke's connection with both the people and culture of Pakistan make him a valuable asset on the Pakistan Western Canada Trade Association Board, where he spends significant time bridging the gap between South Asian and Canadian businesses and connecting private business entities with one another.
Meer Anwar, a tech enthusiast, dedicated philanthropist, and father of two, has over two decades of entrepreneurial experience in ICT4D, Technology, and Fintech. He currently holds the positions of President/CEO at PixelPaddle, a Canadian sports-based B2B SaaS metaverse platform; and Group CIO at Creatrixe Solutions (CA & PAK).
While leading Pakistan Chapter of the Founder Institute - a global startup program, he concurrently served as the Head of Microsoft Appfactory and held the position of VP at LMKT. He also provides technical advisory services to initiatives like the Ehsaas Program, Digital Automation of the National Assembly & Senate of Pakistan, ABsol, IP3 EU, PEC, HSA, Hazza and IIN-UNIDO. Meer also actively contributed to various public & private sector enterprises as a board member in domains including Fintech, Poverty Alleviation, Academia, Social Enterprise, B2B Online Trade & Digital Automation. Notably, he managed an Old Age Home in Pakistan as part of his philanthropic endeavors.
Dr. Umer Farooq, hailing from Abbottabad, KP & now residing in Calgary, is a community-minded person having a career in public service where his work revolves around the policy design for energy transition. Holding a master's degree from McGill University and a PhD from the University of Calgary. Dr. Farooq is working as a Policy Advisor at International Affairs and Trade Division, and the Critical Minerals Centre of Excellence within the Ministry of Natural Resources Canada. He is also the Chair of Canada's Mirror Committee for Lithium where he aims to contribute to shape Canada's influential presence in the realm of global standards at ISO.
Beyond his professional commitments, Dr. Farooq actively participates in various community initiatives and derives great satisfaction from providing mentorship to graduate students. During his leisure hours, he engages in the unique pastime of rugs collection, a practice that mirrors his profound respect for diverse cultures and traditions.
Born in Karachi, Pakistan, Muhammad Amir is the President of SPF Precut Lumber, a wholesale lumber export company that he founded with his late-wife Shaheen Zafar in 1990. Shortly after immigrating to Canada in 1989, Muhammad started the company from a basement suite in North Vancouver.
Today, SPF Precut Lumber is one of the leading exporters of Canadian forestry products to several countries around the world, including Pakistan. Over his career, Muhammad has been recognized with several awards including BC Export Awards, the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and HSBC International Business Award.