The United Nations is set to honour, at a solemn ceremony on Friday, the sacrifices of 99 peacekeepers, including eight Pakistanis, who paid the ultimate price in serving the cause of peace in hot spots around the world. Officials said the ceremony marking the annual international day of UN peacekeepers will also pay tribute to more than 120,000 military, police and civilians currently serving world-wide under the blue flag.
Pakistan is one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions around the world, with some 10,000 troops. As part of the commemorative events, 73 peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving various UN missions in the period between March 1 to December 31, 2010, will be posthumously awarded Dag Hammarskj'd medal. Also, 26 others who died earlier this year will have their names read at the same ceremony.
The fallen Pakistan soldiers are Nk. Mohammad Saleem Akhtar (UNMIS); Lieutenant Shab Hamid Bajwa (UNMIL); N/Sub, Mohammad Iqbal (MONUSCO); Sepoy Karim Khan (UNMIL); NK. Mohammad Riaz Khan (MONUSCO), Sapper Gul Sher (UNCOI), Captain Mohammad Tahir Khan (UNMIL), and Cpl. Itbar Khan (UMIS).
"United Nations blue helmets have represented the Organisation at its best: restoring stability, fostering reconciliation and nurturing hope for a better future," UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon said in a message marking the day. "Their deployment is a manifestation of our collective conviction that people who have survived a war should not have to suffer again through a period of insecurity, injustice and fear and that only by removing these conditions can we engender lasting peace," he said.
"Upholding the rule of law, the theme of this year's day, is essential to successful peacekeeping. This requires strengthening confidence in police, justice systems and correctional services. That is why United Nations trains police to never abuse their power, supports the proper functioning of courts to serve justice, and work for humane conditions of detention. On this day of UN Peacekeepers, focused on the rule of law, we thank the countries that contribute troops, police and civilian personnel to our operations, and we honour those individuals who serve the United Nations with such distinction and dedication."
The UN General Assembly established the international day in 2002 to pay tribute to all men and women serving in UN peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage, and honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. The 192-member body designated 29 May as the day, as it was the date in 1948 when the first UN peacekeeping mission, UN Truce Supervision Organisation (UNTSO), began its operations in Palestine.
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