ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to provide clear direction, consistent political support, and adequate resources to the world organization’s peacekeeping force, translating host-state consent into practical cooperation to facilitate mandate implementation.
Speaking at the Security Council Debate on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, on Friday said that peacekeeping requires strong political backing and a coherent strategy.
“While the primacy of politics is crucial, it should not hinder action; peacekeeping can coexist with political processes, containing violence and enabling political dialogues to resume,” added the Pakistani envoy to the UN.
He further said that peacekeepers' mandates must enable them to perform their duties effectively, and not diminish their efficiency.
“A focused mandate aligns political objectives with necessary capabilities and resources, recognizing that different situations require tailored approaches,” maintained Asim Iftikhar.
He further said that it is vital to identify political objectives first, followed by mandate design and resource allocation.
The ambassador asked the UNSC to be prepared for the future peacekeeping capabilities required today, noting that peacekeeping must remain a genuinely collective UN instrument.
“We should modernize the instrument while preserving what makes UN peacekeeping unique: its universal legitimacy, ability to draw on diverse personnel and capabilities, integrated structures, sustainable financing, institutional knowledge, and the dedicated individuals serving under the UN flag,” he added.
Elaborating Pakistan’s efforts in UN peacekeeping operations, Asim Iftikhar said that as a major troop-contributing nation and host state, Pakistan brings a unique perspective, and for over 60 years has been one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping, with over 170,000 Pakistani peacekeepers serving under the UN flag, and 183 having made the ultimate sacrifice for peace.
“Additionally, Pakistan hosts the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), tasked with observing the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir,” he maintained.