Pakistan reaffirms commitment to UN Peacekeeping Operations in conflict zones.

NEW YORK -- Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations in conflict zones around the world.

Speaking in the Security Council debate on 'Investing in Peace: Delivering Quality Training and Capacity Building to Improve the Performance of UN Peacekeepers', Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN, Dr Maleeha Lodhi, said that despite its own challenges, Pakistan had for close to six decades consistently provided personnel, assets, training and financing for UN peacekeeping operations.

'Pakistan's participation in UN peacekeeping', Ambassador Lodhi said, 'is one of the most tangible demonstrations of our commitment to the United Nations and a practical way of reaffirming our abiding faith in the purposes and principles of UN Charter'. She said that Pakistan's credentials as among the largest and most consistent troop contributing countries (TCCs) was well established.

Ambassador Lodhi also told the fifteen-member world body that Pakistan was host to one of the earliest UN peacekeeping Missions, the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which continued to play an invaluable role in a volatile and fraught environment.

In her comprehensive statement, Ambassador Lodhi discussed issues of capacity building, pre-deployment training, preparations and the professional competence of peacekeepers. 'Pakistan', she stressed,' has been a leader in this field, and the performance of our troops in the field is a testimony to the premium that we place on training and professionalism.' 'Pakistan is also participating in the relatively recent initiative of training the trainers program', she added. Referring to the Centre of International Peace and Stability, which was inaugurated in Islamabad by the then UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, Ambassador Lodhi said that through this institution Pakistan had institutionalized an elaborate system of training.

'At the recently held Peacekeeping Ministerial, in addition to personnel and assets, we have also offered peacekeeping...