With Eyes on BRICS, Pakistan Seeks Russia for Support to join BRICS

On Monday Asif Ali Zardari, the president of Pakistan met with Valentina Matviyenko, the chairwoman of the Federation Council of Russia and repeated their commitment to deepening their bilateral connections in the fields of trade, business, investment, agriculture, and energy for the benefit of both nations. Meanwhile, Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, asked Moscow the capital of Russia to back its request to join the BRICS organization.

Last year in November, Pakistan submitted an application to join BRICS, but it was not invited to the last BRICS conference in Kazan, Russia. Zardari pointed out that Pakistan could be able to participate more actively in regional and international collaboration with the support of BRICS.

President Zardari thanked Russia for backing Pakistan’s request for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.

In September, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk visited Pakistan and said Moscow would support Pakistan’s request to join BRICS.

Matvienko praised the development of bilateral trade between the countries and congratulated Pakistan on holding the Heads of Government Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) successfully.

Speaker Matvienko met separately with Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani and President Asif Zardari. The Russian Speaker emphasized throughout the sessions that her nation prioritized its relationship with Pakistan.  Matvienko also expressed her hope that the two countries would further deepen bilateral relations after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two Parliaments.

When President Zardari and Russian President Putin met earlier this month in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on the final day of an international summit, they agreed to deepen their bilateral relationship.