International Day of UN Peacekeepers; Pakistan among biggest contributors
Islamabad : During its long association with United Nations peacekeeping missions, 181 Pakistan peacekeepers have lost their lives in the line of duty, including two dozen officers, during their efforts to restore peace and stability in some of the world’s most turbulent regions.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Pakistan is one of the top five largest contributors to UN peacekeeping operations globally, having deployed over 235,000 personnel in more than 60 missions across multiple continents since 1960, said a report released by the KMS on the occasion of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, today.
The UN designates 29 May as ‘International Day of UN Peacekeepers’ in commemoration of the day in 1948 when the UN’s first peacekeeping mission began operations in Palestine. Pakistan is one of the longest-serving and largest contributors to UN peacekeeping and is also taking part in an ongoing mission in the Central African Republic.
Pakistan is recognized globally for leading the inclusion of women in peacekeeping and has successfully achieved the UN’s goal of sending 15 per cent female staff officers. Over 500 Pakistani women have participated in various UN missions, operating in specialized roles such as doctors, psychologists, and police officers, the report said,
Pakistani forces currently serve in numerous missions, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, and Cyprus while nearly 100 Pakistani personnel have been posthumously awarded the prestigious Dag Hammarskjöld Medal for exceptional courage and dedication.
