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Summary The UN Day will be celebrated on October 24 (Wednesday) across the globe including in Pakistan.
The day will always be remembered as Pakistan’s commitment with the UN for promoting international peace and prosperity was stem from the vision of it founding father Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.Pakistan’s journey with UN Peacekeeping operations began in 1960 when it deployed its first ever contingent in United Nations Operations in Congo (ONUC).Over the past 50 years, Pakistan has been the most significant and consistent contributor to the UN Peacekeeping around the World. Pakistani peacekeepers have left no stone unturned in the noble cause of helping humanity, building peace and bringing stability across the regions, under the banner of United Nations.President Soekarno of Indonesia paid tribute to Pakistani troops deployed in West Irian in these words “It was because of Pakistani troops that Indonesia and Pakistan came close together, they were Pakistan’s best ambassadors”.Pakistan’s contribution to UN Peacekeeping has been as widely ranged as the varied cultural, geographical, political, and security conditions in which its troops had to operate.Pakistan has contributed 1,44,711 troops till to-date in 41 Missions spread over 23 countries in almost all continents of the World. Pakistan has remained one of the largest Troops Contributing Countries consistently for many years.Presently, Pakistani peacekeepers are deployed in Congo, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Darfur, Western Sahara, East Timor and Haiti; helping human cause, bringing stability and promoting peace thus building a secure and peaceful world.Numerous world leaders and the UN leadership have acknowledged the performance of Pakistani peacekeepers worldwide. The undisputed high professional standing enjoyed by Pakistani peacekeepers has given them the honour of being one of the most desired body of troops in each UN Peacekeeping Mission.Lakhdar Brahimi, Special Representative of the Secretary General for Haitai had remarked, “Yours was the most difficult area with a history of militant activities and local feuds. The others, before you, had probably 4 or 5 times more troops and had difficulty controlling the situation. The PAKBAT’s performance was consistently impeccable and earned admiration of everyone, Haitian and foreigners alike”.
