Six Pakistani peacekeepers were awarded posthumously by United Nations (UN) at a ceremony on Thursday. Six Pakistani peacekeepers are among the 117 peacekeepers awarded the UN medal for sacrificing their lives for the cause of peace. Five of them belong to Pakistan armed forces- Tahir Ikram, Tahir Mehmood, Mohammad Naeem, Adil Jan, Mohammad Shafiq, and Ibrar Syed- a civilian.
The ceremony was held at UN Headquarters in New York. UN Chief Antonio Guterres addressed the ceremony and conferred the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal on 117 police, military, and civilian peacekeepers who sacrificed their lives last year under the UN flag. Antonio Guterres laid a wreath to honor the nearly 4200 United Nations Peacekeepers who have lost their lives since 1948.
2022 Annual Memorial Service to pay tribute & honour the memory of @UN personnel includes Pakistanis who lost their lives in the service of peace:
🏅Tahir Ikram, UNAMID
🏅Tahir Mehmood,@MONUSCO
🏅Muhammad Naeem,UNAMID
🏅Adil Jan,UNAMID
🏅Muhammad Shafeeq,MINUSCA
🏅Mr Ibrar Syed pic.twitter.com/fapXWGLINc— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to UN, NY (@PakistanUN_NY) May 26, 2022
Pakistan🇵🇰:One of the longest-serving & largest contributors @UNPeacekeeping for decades, is committed to helping the vulnerable communities affected by conflict & continues to adapt to the changing environment & needs of the Peacekeeping operations. #PKDay #PeoplePeaceProgress pic.twitter.com/jmZPKDG5f9
— Amb Munir Akram,Permanent Representative to the UN (@PakistanPR_UN) May 26, 2022
Ambassador of Pakistan to United Nations Munir Akram expressed his views on Pakistanis being awarded a UN medal and the contribution of Pakistan to the UN Peacekeeping Mission since 1948.
“Pakistan: One of the longest-serving & largest contributors @UNPeacekeeping for decades, is committed to helping the vulnerable communities affected by conflict & continues to adapt to the changing environment & needs of the Peacekeeping operations,” said Munir Akram in a tweet.
Read more: Pakistan always sacrificed for UN peacekeeping missions
“We are committed to helping the vulnerable communities affected by conflict and will continue to adapt to the changing environment and needs of the peacekeeping operations,” said Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram.
6 Pakistanis are among 117 @UNPeacekeeping who were honoured posthumously on May 26 at a special ceremony marking the Int'l Day of @UN Peacekeepers.
Amb Munir Akram @PakistanPR_UN received the award for 🇵🇰 martyred Peacekeepers#PKDay #PeoplePeaceProgress pic.twitter.com/CdRgV8wEtA— Permanent Mission of Pakistan to UN, NY (@PakistanUN_NY) May 26, 2022
Recognizing the sacrifices of the six Pakistanis who lost their lives in 2021, Ambassador Akram said: “We share the grief of their families and will never forget these heroes who won respect and recognition for their homeland.”
Pakistan is one of the longstanding and largest contributors to the UN Peacekeeping Mission. The country has participated in 70 UN Peacekeeping missions since joining the United Nations on September 30, 1947. According to a report, 200,000 Pakistan Army soldiers have participated in the missions in 28 countries. Pakistan Armed forces are the third-largest contributor after India and Ethiopia. Pakistan’s first UN Peacekeeping Mission started in 1960 in Congo.