Pakistan kicked out of crucial BRICS summit, alleges 'one member blocked participation'

Fuming for being kicked out from the crucial 14th BRICS Summit attended by India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Brazil's leader Jair Bolsonaro, China's President Xi Jinping, and South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa, Pakistan on Monday said "one member" had prohibited its entry into the dialogue. 

Foreign Office (FO) of Islamabad on Monday hurled unsubstantiated claims that India may have stopped Pakistan’s participation in a ‘High-level Dialogue on Global Development’ which was conducted virtually on the sidelines of the key meet. China, whom Islamabad labels as a staunch ally and partner was this year's host of the grouping of the world's leading emerging market economies. 

"We have noted that this year a 'High-level Dialogue on Global Development' was held as a BRICS side event in which a number of developing/emerging economies were invited," Pakistan's Foreign Office [FO] said.

It continued, "China being the host country engaged with Pakistan prior to the BRICS meetings, where decisions are taken after consultations with all BRICS members, including extending an invitation to non-members." 

Pakistan on Monday made unverifiable claims that India blocked its participation at BRICS. "Regrettably, one member blocked Pakistan’s participation," Islamabad's Foreign Office [FO] noted, without naming India. The five-member group consisting of India, Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa held the BRICS meeting on June 24. Russia's President Putin hailed the participant countries as ones that are truly democratic, multipolar, and ensure equality, justice and respect within the state. He noted the "relevance of interaction" with allies and partners "who share these same values." 

Pakistan had hoped 'there would be future engagements..'

As Pakistan wasn't invited, the country's foreign ministry spokesman Asim Iftikhar stressed that he had hoped there would be future engagements with the organization that would be "in view the overall interests of the developing world and in a manner that is devoid of narrow geopolitical considerations". He went on to iterate that Pakistan's ties with China are "rock solid" and that it is the "current chair" of the G7+China and "part of a group of friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI)." The two nations he said foster "all-round cooperation to higher levels".

At BRICS, Beijing praised India and other fast emerging and strong economies for promoting ‘non-Western styles, forms and principles’. Chinese leader Xi Jinping iterated that the participant nations are the ones "ushering in a new era for global development." China told the leaders of the BRICS that their nations are great contributors to boosting “multilateral cooperation with non-Western styles, forms and principles" during the times when “the US (is) pulling its Western allies to ‘rebel’ against globalisation”. Xi urged the leaders of India, Russia, Brazil, South Africa to  “reject Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, and work together to build a global community of security for all”.