VLADIVOSTOK, RUSSIA:
Senator Mushahid Hussain became the first Pakistani to address the International BRICS Forum, held in Vladivostok and organised by Russia’s United Russia Party.
Mushahid, Co-Chairman of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) and head of two Pakistani think tanks called for Pakistan’s inclusion in BRICS, citing a desire to join the emerging global order.
BRICS is a group of five major emerging economies including Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa which aims to foster economic cooperation, development, and political dialogue among its member countries.
The bloc ogether represents nearly half of the world’s population and a significant portion of global GDP.
In his keynote speech, Mushahid criticised the declining influence of the Western world order, emphasising the role of BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in shaping a new international framework based on the UN Charter and peaceful coexistence.
He identified three key trends: democratizing international relations through equality and rule of law, demilitarizing global interactions to avoid Cold War tensions, and dedollarizing the financial system to reduce the political power of the US dollar.
Mushahid lauded President Putin’s Eurasian Security proposal and President Xi Jinping’s Global Security Initiative. He also condemned Western support for Israel, labelling it a contributor to the Gaza conflict, which he termed a “crime against humanity.”
The forum, attended by representatives from 29 countries, highlighted BRICS’ significant global influence, encompassing nearly half the world’s population and substantial portions of global GDP and energy resources.
Earlier this year on February 18, Senate Defence Committee Chairman Senator Hussain expressed the hope that Pakistan would join BRICS with the cooperation of Russia, the current year’s chair of the world’s five most important developing countries.
