PAKISTAN OBSERVER

APLN member Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed has become the first from Pakistan address the summit of BRICS, a group of major emerging economies, in Johannesburg. Read the original article here.

The development comes after the Pakistan government received an invitation from the bloc, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, for the first time as the South Asian country’s participation was encouraged by Beijing.

Sharing the historic experience on social media platform X, Mushahid Hussain said he “addressed BRICS Seminar in Johannesburg, just before BRICS Summit tomorrow, the first Pakistani to be invited at BRICS event, which is a growing body that now has 20 countries in queue for membership!”

Addressed BRICS Seminar in Johannesburg, just before BRICS Summit tomorrow, the first Pakistani to be invited at BRICS event, which is a growing body that now has 20 countries in queue for membership! Welcomed BRICS expansion & urged BRICS to reject any New Cold War! Afro-Asian… pic.twitter.com/jYc8fAaE8z

— Mushahid Hussain Sayed (@Mushahid) August 21, 2023

“Welcomed BRICS expansion & urged BRICS to reject any New Cold War! Afro-Asian solidarity plus Brazil & Russia can play key role in new emerging global order, based on multilateralism & regional connectivity!,” he wrote.

A day earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping backed the expansion of the BRICS, a group of major emerging economies, as several countries including Pakistan have been showed interest in joining the bloc.

The Chinese president called for the expansion the group in a speech delivered on his behalf at the start of the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, a day earlier.

He supported the idea of including more developing countries into the group in order to ensure more just and equitable international order. He also insisted that “hegemonism is not in China’s DNA”.

Currently, the BRICS comprises five countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – and it represents about 40% of the world’s population and a quarter of global GDP.

Xi said China did not want to indulge in great power competition or create “bloc confrontation” in the world.

He stressed that BRICS would continue to grow “whatever resistance there may be.”

Earlier this year, nineteen countries, including Argentina, Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, had showed their interest in joining the bloc.

Reports said there was an opposition from India, who did not want Pakistan to join the group.