As the world community observed the International Day of UN Peacekeepers on Wednesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pakistan Army paid tribute to their services saying that the UN missions had been critical in maintaining peace and protecting civilians in conflict zones.

According to the United Nations, since 1948, more than two million uniformed and civilian personnel have helped countries in transition from war to peace. Today, more than 70,000 peacekeepers serve in 11 missions deployed in hotspots around the world.

Besides paying tribute to the service and sacrifice of peacekeepers, the Day also honours more than 4,000 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving for peace.

Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed special gratitude for the Pakistani peacekeepers who had made significant contributions.

“230,000 military personnel, including our brave Pakistani female peacekeepers, have made the nation proud since 64 years of our commitment to the UN peacekeeping. Among these were 181 martyrs who sacrificed their lives for global peace, we also pay tribute to them. Their selfless act of courage and sacrifice will forever be etched in our hearts,” he wrote on his X timeline.

The prime minister reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to its pursuit of peace and justice and to building a future “where peace prevails and humanity thrives.”

According to an ISPR statement released on Wednesday, Pakistan joins the international community in commemorating International Peacekeepers Day today, paying tribute to the brave men and women who have served in United Nations peacekeeping missions around the world.

Pakistan is one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping, with around 3,000 Peacekeepers currently serving in missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Abyei, Central African Republic, Cyprus, Western Sahara and Somalia. Since 1960, Pakistan has contributed 235,000 troops to UN peacekeeping operations in 48 United Nations Missions in 29 countries including almost all continents of the world.

Pakistan is proud of its long-standing commitment to UN peacekeeping. Our peacekeepers have demonstrated exceptional courage, professionalism and dedication to promoting peace and stability in conflict-ridden regions. Overall, 181 Pakistani peacekeepers have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

On this International Peacekeeping Day, we honour their service and sacrifice for noble cause of global peace.

Pakistan also remains committed to United Nations Uniform Gender Parity Strategy (UGPS) of United Nations for enhanced representation of women in uniform, Secretary-General’s Action for peace (A4P) initiative, which seeks to improve the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations by enhancing their capacity, coherence and responsiveness. Additionally, Pakistan also supports initiatives aimed at improving the safety and security of UN peacekeepers, particularly those serving in high-risk environments.

Pakistan’s contributions to UN peacekeeping are a testament to our nation’s commitment to international peace and security and Pakistani peacekeepers will continue towards uplift of local communities in troubled regions.