BRICS member blocked invite to China dialogue: FO

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office disclosed on Monday that a member of the five-nation summit BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) blocked Pakistan's participation in the High-Level Dialogue on Global Development (HLDGD) hosted by China on June 24.

The clarification came three days after the dialogue and it stated that the event had taken place on the sidelines of BRICS summit. Incidentally, a Chinese spokesman had also offered a clarification on account of Pakistan’s absence where the reference of it being blocked by a country and the forum’s holding on the sidelines of the BRICS were evidently missing.

Meanwhile, in response to media queries about the High-level Dialogue on Global Development held virtually on the sidelines of the BRICS meetings, a Foreign Office spokesperson said that Pakistan — with the cooperation of China — is fully committed to taking bilateral and multilateral cooperation to new heights.

According to the foreign ministry spokesperson, a number of developing and emerging economies were invited to the high-level dialogue on global development. As the host country, China was engaged with Pakistan prior to the BRICS meetings, where decisions are made after consultations with all BRICS members, including invitations to non-members, the statement read. “Regrettably, one member blocked Pakistan from participating,” it added.

According to sources, India blocked Pakistan from participating in the BRICS summit. “We hope that the organisation’s future engagement will be based on principles of inclusivity, with the overall interests of the developing world in mind, and free of narrow geopolitical considerations,” the spokesperson's statement read.

It said Pakistan values China's role in advancing the interests of developing countries, adding that Pakistan, along with China, has been a strong advocate for global peace, shared prosperity and inclusive development.

Pakistan is the current chair of the G77+China and a member of the Global Development Initiative's (GDI) group of friends. "Pakistan and China are all-weather strategic partners and our iron brotherhood is unbreakable," the statement read. "Pakistan stands ready to work with all developing countries, including BRICS members, to address the global community's challenges," it concluded.