A British Columbia–Pakistan Blueprint for Shared Growth

British Columbia and Pakistan can translate post-COVID momentum into durable partnerships – linking LNG and ports, forestry and agri-seafood, critical minerals, tech and higher education – to create jobs, diversify markets and commercialize innovation in both economies.

Key points

• Gateway advantage: With LNG Canada’s first export cargo from Kitimat in 2025 and the Port of Vancouver expanding capacity, B.C. now offers a faster Pacific route to Asian markets – relevant to Pakistan-linked supply chains. ttnews.com+3LNG+3Reuters+3
• Sector fit: B.C.’s strengths – energy/LNG, forestry & pulp, copper/critical minerals, agri-seafood and tech services – map tightly to Pakistan’s demand for reliable energy, materials, food security and digitalization. OEC+2govTogetherBC+2
• Services & education bridge: B.C.’s Asia-facing services trade is strong and Vancouver hosts recurring Pakistan-focused academic exchanges (e.g., HEC/British Council–led VC tour at Commonwealth of Learning (COL) in Vancouver). Government of British Columbia+1
• Actionability: Provincial programs (Export Navigator) and B.C.’s Critical Minerals Strategy lower market-entry frictions and enable project pipelines with Pakistani partners. BC Budget 2025+2Export Navigator+2

Why B.C.–Pakistan and why now?

B.C. is Canada’s Pacific gateway with deep expertise in resources, logistics and clean technology. Pakistan is a 240-million-population market seeking dependable energy, materials and food inputs – plus digital and education partnerships. In mid-2025, LNG Canada loaded Canada’s first LNG export cargo from Kitimat, B.C., establishing the country’s inaugural large-scale LNG export operation with direct Pacific access – a logistics inflection point for Asian trade routes relevant to Pakistan’s buyers, traders and carriers. LNG+1

At the same time, the Port of Vancouver – already Canada’s largest and most diversified – continues to scale capacity for Asia trade, with plans that would lift throughput and sustain record volumes. For Pakistan-bound or Pakistan-origin cargoes (energy products, pulp, metals, containers), this reduces transit time and congestion risk. ttnews.com+1

Energy & LNG: predictable molecules, predictable growth

Pakistan’s grid and industrial sector need secure fuel. B.C.’s LNG emergence (with LNG Canada now exporting and Cedar LNG/Woodfibre LNG advancing) offers diversified supply for Asian utilities and traders, creating scope for swap chains, portfolio offtake and seasonal balancing that indirectly serve South Asia. Even where deliveries are not direct to Pakistan, portfolio LNG and regional backfilling can improve Pakistan’s access and pricing. For investors, Kitimat’s start of exports and expansion options de-risk B.C. upstream/midstream services and bolster trade finance cases. Reuters+2Reuters+2

Critical minerals & metals: pairing B.C. policy with Pakistan’s geology

B.C. launched Phase 1 of its Critical Minerals Strategy in 2024, setting 11 actions to accelerate responsible development and processing (e.g., copper, nickel, lithium, and allied inputs needed for energy transition). Pakistan, meanwhile, hosts notable deposits and ongoing developments (e.g., copper-gold). This creates rational lanes for B.C. process know-how, ESG compliance, mine-services and training partnerships – with Vancouver engineering, environmental and equipment SMEs participating alongside larger miners and EPCs. govTogetherBC+1

Forestry, pulp & paper: stable materials for industry and consumers

B.C. remains a global forestry and pulp leader. Pakistan’s growing packaging, tissue and publishing demand can be met via B.C. pulp and paper exports and technology services (e.g., efficiency retrofits for mills, water-treatment, biomass boiler upgrades). B.C.’s export profile (coal, copper ore, sawn wood, pulp and natural gas) underscores competitive scale and established logistics through Vancouver’s terminals – useful for Pakistan’s importers and processors seeking quality assurance and reliable timetables. OEC

Agri-seafood & cold-chain: from commodities to branded nutrition

B.C.’s agri-seafood sector (notably salmon, berries, specialty foods) and Pakistan’s urban consumers create space for value-added playbooks: fortified foods, ready-to-eat meals, cold-chain distribution and traceability pilots. Integrators can co-brand for Pakistani retail while using Vancouver as a launchpad for ethnic and premium channels in North America. Provincial and federal export-readiness programs (e.g., Export Navigator) help B.C. SMEs meet certification, packaging, and buyer-due-diligence standards faster. Export Navigator

Technology & services: digital capacity where it matters

B.C. companies in AI/analytics, clean-power software, grid efficiency, industrial IoT and healthtech can plug into Pakistan’s modernization path – through outsourcing partnerships, pilot deployments with utilities and hospitals, or university-backed labs that localize products. B.C.’s trade in services with Asia recovered strongly by 2023, highlighting resilience in transport, travel and commercial services – a platform for Pakistan-facing BPO, design and engineering services with Vancouver project management and Karachi/Lahore delivery hubs. Government of British Columbia

Education & research: talent pipelines with commercial outcomes

Vancouver is a recurring host for Pakistan–Canada academic leadership – for example, 19 Pakistani Vice Chancellors visited Vancouver for a ten-day study tour coordinated by the Commonwealth of Learning (headquartered in Metro Vancouver) with HEC Pakistan and the British Council. UBC and SFU operate extensive global partnership frameworks and have growing Pakistan-linked ties (admissions, collaborative research, clinical training via the broader AKU platform). These links can evolve into IP-driven ventures, co-ops, and executive education that feed directly into the B.C.–Pakistan business corridor. Commonwealth of Learning+1

What the numbers say (and what to do next)

B.C.–Pakistan Collaboration Signals (Post-COVID, 2023–2025)

Priority lanes (pair strengths with demand)

Conclusion

B.C.–Pakistan collaboration is timely, practical and investable. With Kitimat LNG in operation and Port of Vancouver expansion underway, B.C. offers a de-risked Pacific platform that Pakistan’s public and private sectors can leverage for energy security, materials, logistics and services. B.C.’s Critical Minerals Strategy and export-readiness programs provide policy scaffolding that aligns with Pakistan’s development priorities. Universities and diaspora networks translate goodwill into commercial pilots, co-ops and IP ventures. Start with services and value-added niches (not just commodities), build certification and compliance early and let university and industry consortia accelerate scale. Done right, this corridor will deliver resilient supply chains and shared prosperity. Reuters+2ttnews.com+2

* Dr. Muhammad Jahanzaib is the Founder & Chief Visionary Officer (CVO) of Diamanium Thinkers, a global think tank. He holds a PhD in International Relations, specializing in the intersection of politics and economics in Pakistan’s foreign and domestic policy. A double gold medalist and published scholar, he writes on economic intelligence, economic diplomacy, political economy, AI and regional cooperation in South Asia and beyond. He can be reached at jahanzaibdgc@gmail.com.

Key references (titles & URLs)

1. LNG Canada: First Cargo from Kitimat — https://www.lngcanada.ca/news/first-cargo-puts-canada-on-the-map-of-lng-exporting-nations/
2. Reuters: LNG Canada produces first LNG for export (2025) — https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/lng-canada-produces-first-liquefied-natural-gas-export-sources-say-2025-06-22/
3. Port of Vancouver capacity expansion news — https://www.ttnews.com/articles/port-vancouver-add-capacity
4. Port of Vancouver trade overview (record H1 2025) — https://dredgewire.com/port-of-vancouver-enables-record-trade-in-first-half-of-2025/
5. B.C. Critical Minerals Strategy (Phase 1, 2024) — https://engage.gov.bc.ca/app/uploads/sites/121/2024/06/2024-03-28-Critical-Minerals-WWHR_draft12-1.pdf
6. Province of B.C. news release on critical minerals (2024) — https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024PREM0003-000063
7. B.C. Trade in Services 2012–2023 (BC Stats) — https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/data/statistics/business-industry-trade/trade/trade_in_services.pdf
8. OEC: British Columbia export profile — https://oec.world/en/profile/subnational_can/british-columbia
9. Commonwealth of Learning (Vancouver): Pakistan VCs study tour — https://www.col.org/news/pakistan-vice-chancellors-arrive-for-canadian-study-tour/