Peacekeepers honoured

The United Nations has awarded seven Pakistani UN peacekeepers with medals posthumously at a solemn ceremony on June 1st — the annual International Day of Peacekeepers. The move is a commendable one and is a testament to the valour of Pakistani soldiers in battlefields far away from the Asian subcontinent. They join another 128 military police and civilian personnel from 38 countries who were decorated with similar medals on the 70^th anniversary of UN peacekeeping operations. Since that time Pakistan has lost 156 blue helmets who were slain while serving under the UN umbrella. In terms of fatalities alone that figure is significant.

Pakistan is currently the third-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping missions with as many as 7,123 peacekeepers on the job, according to the 2017 report. The UN may have recognised Pakistan’s efforts in peacekeeping missions but the wider world hasn’t. Peacekeeping is by no means an easy job. It requires considerable patience and understanding. And since they are largely unarmed, they remain stuck in intractable wars between belligerents. Conditions in war-ravaged zones are terrible and the blue helmets draw flak from all combatants.

Despite that Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to peacekeeping operations, the UN lags behind in providing security to many of its blue helmets in dangerous conflict zones such as Somalia, where local militias operate freely. At least 40 Pakistani soldiers lost their lives in Somalia during the early 1990s.

Our soldiers and policemen while donning the uniform of peacekeepers have left a legacy of endurance and peace-building in countries like Liberia. They have stood tall and earned for themselves a reputation for service and sacrifice. It is hoped that the UN affiliates that deploy peacekeepers in troubled spots use them more wisely and shield them from unnecessary harm.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2018.

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