Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari has sought Russia’s support to join the inter-governmental BRICS organisation, state-run media reported on Monday, saying that Islamabad’s inclusion would help enhance its role in regional and global cooperation.
In 2006, Brazil, Russia, India and China created the “BRIC” group before South Africa joined the alliance in 2010, making it BRICS. The bloc was founded as an informal club to provide a platform for its members to challenge a world order dominated by the United States and its Western allies.
Countries like Pakistan who want to join BRICS see it as an alternative to global bodies viewed as dominated by the traditional Western powers and hope membership will unlock benefits including development finance and increased trade and investment.
Pakistan had last year applied to become a member of BRICS. Zardari met Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko and members of the visiting delegation from Moscow in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad on Monday. Matvienko arrived in Pakistan on a three-day visit earlier this week to strengthen Parliamentary ties between the two states. “He (Zardari) also sought Russia’s support for Pakistan’s bid to become a member of BRICS which would greatly help Pakistan to enhance its role in regional and global cooperation through the alliance,” the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) said.
(Arab News)
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