Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan has confirmed its support for United Nations peacekeeping operations. It believes that these efforts work best when linked to a broader political plan for resolving conflicts and building peace.
Ansar Shah, the First Secretary of Pakistan’s Permanent Mission to the UN, during the opening session of the 2024 Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34), spoke about Pakistan’s involvement as a host country for one of the oldest UN missions, the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).
He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities under UNMOGIP’s mandate.
The Secretary of Pakistan expressed pride in the country’s long history of helping with UN peacekeeping. Over the last sixty years, Pakistan has sent 235,000 troops, including women peacekeepers, to 48 missions on four continents, often in challenging conflict areas.
He also honored the memory of 181 Pakistani peacekeepers who made sacrifices in the line of duty for the United Nations mission.
Notably, he strongly condemned the recent attacks on UN peacekeepers in the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) during the DRC crisis. He called for accountability for these acts and stressed the need for better protection measures.
On January 26th, the M23 and the Rwanda Defence Forces launched an attack on the strategically important city of Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. In this attack, three UN peacekeepers made the ultimate sacrifice.
Pakistan Reaffirms Commitment to Strengthening UN Peacekeeping Efforts
United Nations, February 18: Pakistan has reiterated its commitment to United Nations peacekeeping operations, emphasizing that peacekeeping efforts under the UN umbrella can be most effective when integrated… pic.twitter.com/QQhPK8oBx4
— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the UN (@PakistanUN_NY) February 19, 2025
Moreover, he also highlighted the importance of proper training and urged the UN to introduce technology specific to peacekeeping to tackle modern challenges effectively.
Ansar Shah advocated for fair geographic representation in peacekeeping operations and at UN Headquarters to enhance human resources management.
Ansar Shah stated, “Pakistan is dedicated to building strong partnerships, especially with the African Union (AU) and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).”
Pakistan advocates for the adoption of Resolution 2719, an initiative that aims to secure funding for vital peace operations spearheaded by the African Union. Pakistan firmly believes that fostering partnerships with regional and cross-regional organizations significantly strengthens the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping missions.
Pakistan envisions a more robust and comprehensive strategy for maintaining peace and stability in conflict-affected regions through this collaborative approach.
