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ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday confirmed that Pakistan has filed a formal application to join BRICS – a group of major emerging economies which include Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

Addressing a weekly press briefing, the Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, “We’ve taken the decision after having noted the BRICS-related developments in Johannesburg”.

The development comes a couple of days after the BRICS group of nations called for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce in Gaza during an extraordinary summit on the Israeli-Palestine conflict.

By joining the organisation, Baloch said that Pakistan could play an important role in furthering international cooperation and revitalising inclusive multilateralism.

She expressed optimism that BRICS would move forward on Pakistan’s request in line with its commitment to inclusive multilateralism, adding Pakistan enjoys friendly relations with most members of BRICS as well as the newly invited group of countries.

“Pakistan is an ardent supporter of multilateralism and is a member of several multilateral organisations. The country has played an important role in global peace and development,” she added.

The spokesperson said that Pakistan was concerned over the terror threat emanating from Afghanistan, adding “we want swift action against the terror outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) so that they do not pose any threat to us.”

She said that negotiations on security matters with the Afghan transit administration are currently in progress, adding Pakistan embassy in Kabul is actively facilitating the valid documentation, including a mandatory visa for Afghan truck drivers crossing the border.

Baloch said that the country was eagerly waiting for an immediate ceasefire to allow for humanitarian aid into besieged Gaza Strip – the world’s largest open-air prison, with a population of 2.3 million people which is under an intense Israeli bombardment.

“Pakistan is firm in its stance in calling for a viable and sovereign Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds as its capital,” she added.

She continued that World Children’s Day had been observed while highlighting that over 6,000 children were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza.

Pakistan supported the call for an international peace conference on the Palestinian question, she added. At the BRICS summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping had called for such a moot to address the war.

“We believe that peace in the region can only be achieved with the implementation of the relevant UN resolutions calling for a two-state solution, culminating in a viable, sovereign, and geographically-contiguous Palestinian state within the pre-1967 borders with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” she added.

To a question about thwarting Indian government’s conspiracy to kill a Sikh separatist leader on American soil, she recalled that Pakistan has long been a target of India’s state-sponsored terrorism, subversion, and espionage.

She claimed that India’s network of espionage and extraterritorial killings has gone global, adding India’s irresponsible and reckless conduct is a clear violation of international laws.

To another question about ban on Halal food or any food deemed permissible under Islamic law in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, she said that it was yet another manifestation of increasing Islamophobia in India.

She said that banning Halal food was an affront to the rights and freedoms of Muslims in India.

The FO spokesperson said that caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar would participate in the World Action Summit in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in December which would focus on steps against climate change.

She added that Kakar would also have several high-level engagements on the sidelines of the summit.

Baloch also announced that caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani would visit Belgium to participate in a summit on refugees as well.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023

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