RAWALPINDI: The UN Department for Peacekeeping Operations (UN DPKO) Under-Secretary-General (USG) Jean-Pierre Lacroix on Monday made several important visits including those at General Headquarters (GHQ), Foreign Office (FO), Centre for International Peace and Stability (CIPS) and National University of Science and Technology (NUST).
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Jawed Bajwa welcomed the UN undersecretary general and said that Pakistan will continue to play an effective role for United Nations’ (UN) peacekeeping operations, a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The army chief made the comments during a meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General Jean-Pierre Lacroix at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi.
“Pakistan is the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping forces,” General Bajwa told the UN undersecretary general.
Jean-Pierre Lacroix commended Pakistan’s role in UN’s peacekeeping efforts across the globe and said, “We value the sacrifices of the Pakistani nation.”
Lacroix was welcomed at the FO by the interim Foreign Minister (FM) Abdullah Haroon who said that Pakistan remained a consistent and active supporter of multilateralism, noting that Pakistan’s engagement with and support to the United Nations were a key pillar of its foreign policy.
The foreign minister also recalled Pakistan’s longstanding partnership with and contributions to the UN, specially in several of its peacekeeping missions across the world. Underscoring Pakistan’s unique role and contribution as one of the top troop-contributing countries, the foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s full support to the UN peacekeeping operations.
USG Lacroix acknowledged Pakistan’s leading role in UN peacekeeping; expressed deep appreciation for the professionalism of Pakistani peacekeepers and paid tribute to the ultimate sacrifices of 156 Pakistani peacekeepers to the cause of international peace.
USG Lacroix and his delegation members also visited the Centre for International Peace and Security (CIPS) and the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) Headquarters in Islamabad.
While interacting with students and faculty members at NSUT, the USG paid rich tribute to sacrifices of Pakistani peacekeepers for global peace and security and saving civilian lives under UN umbrella.
