NEW YORK – United Nations has lauded Pakistan’s positive role at the UN,especially in advancing the world body’s core causes from sustainabledevelopment to human rights for all.

Addressing a reception hosted by Pakistan UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi at UNHeadquarters in New York, UN Under-Secretary-General for GlobalCommunications Alison Smale said UN and Pakistan have enjoyed a closerelationship.

Speaking on the occasion Pakistan, UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi told a biggathering of heads of diplomatic missions accredited to the UN that we havebeen gratified again and again by the generosity shown by the Pakistanipeople towards the UN.

She said Pakistan contributes nearly 6,000 military and police personnel tothe UN peacekeeping operations in the Central African Republic, theDemocratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Mali, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudanand Western Sahara.

More than 170,000 Pakistanis have served over the past decades in the UNflagship activity. One hundred and forty six Pakistani peacekeepers havemade the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of world peace.

US Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Malony, who was a special guest at thereception, paid tributes to Ambassador Lodhi’s work in promoting Pakistan’sgoals at the U.N.