Pakistan reaffirms resolve to UN peacekeeping missions

Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to ensure that peacekeeping remains a potent mechanism of maintaining peace, security and stability across the world.

“Pakistan joins the international community in celebrating ‘International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers’. As a consistent leading troop-contributing country, Pakistan is cognisant of the important role played by UN peacekeepers in maintaining security and stability in so many of the world’s conflict zones,” Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said in a statement on Friday.

Farooqui saluted the services and sacrifices rendered by peacekeepers from around the world and reiterated the country’s solemn commitment to continue working with the United Nations for the ideals of peace, stability and cooperation espoused by the ‘blue helmets’.

Pakistan is proud of its long-standing contributions to UN peacekeeping spanning over six decades, she said.

“Our peacekeepers have earned well-deserved respect and goodwill for their professionalism and devotion to duty in every mission they have participated in.”

The MoFa spokesperson said that since 1960, over 200,000 servicemen have served with honour and distinction in 46 UN missions in 26 countries in almost all continents of the world.

“One hundred and fifty-seven of our gallant peacekeepers have made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of international peace and security.”

Pakistan has also led the way in deputing female peacekeepers in a record time. In 2019, Pakistan met the 15 per cent benchmark set by the UN Secretariat in the staff/officers category.

“Our lady police officer Shahzadi Gulfam was the first-ever recipient of International Female Police Peacekeeper Award in 2011,” Farooqui added.

Pakistan’s contribution to peacekeeping on ground, she said, has been complemented by the sustained engagement in policy development in peacekeeping.

“We bring a unique perspective to peacekeeping as a leading troop-contributing country as well as a host country to one of the oldest peacekeeping missions, UNMOGIP,” the FO spokesperson maintained.