Pakistan female military officers interact with local children in DR Congo. Twitter photo

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday said that Pakistan was the largest contributor to the UN peacekeeping missions in the world as it had so far provided about 200,000 personnel.

Such a gesture also manifested Pakistan’s desire and efforts for peace, the prime minister said in a message on the International Day of the United Nations Peacekeepers being observed on May 29.

The prime minister paid tribute to the efforts, contributions, professionalism and sacrifices of the Pakistani Peacekeeping Missions under the UN umbrella.

UN Secretary-General and other UN offices had lauded and acknowledged the contributions and sacrifices of Pakistan’s peacekeepers, he said, adding that during 1960 to 2022, the officers and jawans of Pakistan peacekeepers had played an exemplary and praiseworthy role in the UN missions.

A total of 169 Pakistani peacekeepers had embraced shahadat while performing duties in the UN missions abroad, the prime minister said, saluting their valour and sacrifices.

“The sons and daughters of the nation have displayed their professional capabilities worldwide by maintaining peace and serving the humankind,” he added.

Pakistan has contributed 200,000 troops to UN peacekeeping missions across the world while 169 of them had laid down their lives to serve humanity globally, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. 

In a message on the occasion of World UN Peacekeepers Day, the ISPR stated that Pakistan stands tall in the comity of nations being one of the largest troops contributing countries in the UN peacekeeping efforts.

“Pakistan’s journey in UN peacekeeping operations began in 1960 when the first-ever Pakistan army contingent was deployed for UN peacekeeping operations in Congo, the military media’s wing said sharing the history of the missions.

It said that over the last 61 years, Pakistan has been the most significant and consistent contributor to UN peacekeeping around the world.

“Pakistan has participated in 46 UN peacekeeping missions including some of the most challenging undertakings and so far contributed more than 200,000 troops to the UN peacekeeping missions across the world,” the ISPR said.

NNI News Service