COAS General Asim Munir heaps praise at UN peacekeeping efforts
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General Asim Munir, Pakistan's army chief, lauded the United Nations for its role in preserving global peace through peacekeeping missions and expressed Pakistan's vision for fostering regional harmony marked by economic prosperity, as per the Pakistani foreign ministry. Pakistan has been engaged in UN peacekeeping missions since its independence from British rule in 1947 and has lost 172 soldiers in various conflicts. Currently, Pakistan contributes over 4,000 troops to UN international operations. These remarks by Gen Munir were made during a preparatory meeting co-hosted by Pakistan and Japan on August 30-31 in Islamabad for the upcoming UN peacekeeping ministerial conference in Ghana scheduled for December.
"General Asim Munir attended the closing session of the conference as chief guest and, during his remarks, he commended the role of the United Nations in maintaining global peace," stated Pakistan's foreign ministry. "[He] further emphasized Pakistan's aspiration to create a region characterized by peace, trade, transit, and investment, generating prosperity for all the states in South, West, and Central Asia."
The army chief also urged the UN Security Council and the UN secretary-general to work towards a peaceful resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with UN resolutions, according to the statement. The Kashmir region, with a Muslim majority, has been divided between Pakistan and India since their independence from British rule, with both countries claiming the Himalayan territory in its entirety and having engaged in two of their four wars over it.
During the two-day meeting, Pakistan's interim foreign minister, Jalil Abbas Gilani, also addressed the gathering, highlighting the country's efforts to increase the presence of female peacekeepers in its contingents. "Jilani recalled Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to UN peacekeeping, spanning over six decades, as a tangible manifestation of its contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security," the statement added. The foreign minister paid tribute to the courageous individuals who sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of peacekeeping.
