ISLAMABAD: United Nation's Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday said the history of UN's peacekeeping efforts across the globe was incomplete without mentioning Pakistan's immense contribution for peace and security.
"Pakistan's engagement with the United Nations has been crucial in carrying out wider peacekeeping across the globe," the UN Secretary General said at the inauguration of International Peace and Stability Centre here at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST).
The UN Secretary General lauded the services of Pakistan's over 8,000 "finest men and women soldiers" deputed as UN peacekeepers in different parts of the world including Liberia, Western Sahara and Ivory Coast.
He said the sacrifices of 136 Pakistani peacekeepers could not be ignored who lost their lives during the country's 50-year affiliation with the UN peacekeeping.
Ban Ki-moon said an incident in one part of the world could affect the rest of the globe and termed the training of troops as a strategic investment in peacekeeping.
He said the military and political efforts and the use of technology was better helping the UN troops in coping with difficult situations.
The UN Secretary General stressed that security and development should go hand in hand.
He said besides peace, the people across the world needed food, education, energy, employment, human rights and human dignity.
He said sustainability of peace was more important and recalled that he had reaffirmed this message during his world tour along with the President of World Bank.
Ban Ki-moon said there was a need to overcome the short-term problems of security by strengthening the long-term foundations of peace-building.
He hoped that the United Nations and Pakistan would together pursue their shared goals of global peace.
The ceremony was attended by PM's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid, Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani and Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN Masood Khan.
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