After Being Blocked Last Year, Pakistan Applies For BRICS Membership, Yet Again: Report

According to an interview by Pakistan's newly appointed Ambassador to Russia, Muhammad Khalid Jamali, Pakistan has formally applied for membership in the BRICS nations, reported Russian state news agency TASS.

The league of developing nations, consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS), was formed in 2010.

The Pakistani diplomat has declared that Pakistan has already applied for the membership to join BRICS. Jamali confirmed that Pakistan intends to participate within the group under Russian chairmanship in 2024.

“Pakistan would like to be part of this important organisation, and we are in the process of contacting member countries for extending support to Pakistan’s membership in general and the Russian Federation in particular,” Jamali added.

This comes after Pakistan alleged last year, (in June 2023), that one member blocked its participation in a virtual meeting, apparently referring to India.

"Regrettably, one member blocked Pakistan’s participation," Pakistan's foreign office then said.

BRICS brings together five of the largest developing countries in the world, representing around 41 per cent of the global population, approximately 24 per cent of the global GDP, and about 16 per cent of global trade.

In its last summit in South Africa in October, the BRICS group decided to invite six more countries — Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — to join their alliance.

Their membership is set to take effect on 1 January 2024.

Despite the interview that Pakistan’s Muhammad Khalid Jamali gave to TASS, there have been no official reports of Pakistan’s application to join BRICS.