Islamabad, 30 October 2021 (TDI): According to the UN, Pakistan is one of the biggest and oldest contributors to peace missions. The country has blue helmets providing humanitarian assistance in many countries.
Pakistan has been an active member of the UN, upholding its agenda of International Peace, and Security. On 14th August, 1947, Pakistan emerged as a independent state. Whereas on September 30th, 1947, Pakistan joined the United Nations, just over a month after its independence.
The founder and the first head of state, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, stated that Pakistan’s foreign policy is one of friendliness, towards all the nations. Jinnah then remarked that Pakistan believes in the principle of honesty; and fair play, in national, and international dealings.
Recently, Pakistan’s Foreign Affairs Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi; addressed the 76th General Assembly on the Palestine Conflict. Prime Minister Imran Khan also addressed the UNGA.
Several UN entities are in the territory, like the Food and Agriculture Organization, the International Labour Organization. OCHA, IOM, Un Women, UNDP, UNAIDS, UNESCO, are also in Pakistan.
MISSIONS IN WHICH PAKISTAN PARTICIPATES
Since 1960 the country has had 46 Missions. Pakistan currently has 9 missions in 15 countries, with 4513 staff. One of those Missions was Kabkabiya, North Darfur, Sudan, but there are more. There the Pakistani peacekeepers distributed relief packages to affected families by floods.
Most Pakistani blue helmets are deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, and also Darfur. In 2018, Pakistan became the fifth contributor of armed personnel to the UN peace corps. Currently, the UN has more than 6000 Pakistani blue helmets.
In the Congo, the blue helmets protect civilians and provide humanitarian assistance. Then in cooperation with UNAMID police, built a commercial center, that is led by women, those women manufacture, and also sell their products to the community.
The mission of the UN in Côte d’Ivoire has facilitated inclusive political dialogue and has also strengthened the National Commission of Human Rights. Also, this mission has disarmed over 70,000 fighters to reintegrate them into society.
