Pakistan Armed Forces on Saturday extended best wishes to the United Nations on its 75th anniversary. Pakistan had contributed over 200,000 troops in 46 UN missions serving in 28 countries, said Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar in a tweet shared on his official Twitter handle.

He said that as many as 158 Pakistani peacekeepers had sacrificed their lives for global peace.

It may be mentioned here that the Armed Forces of Pakistan had a long and distinguished history of service to the United Nations.

Pakistan joined the United Nations peacekeeping mission on September 30, 1947 which was the beginning of a glorious era with an unprecedented history. Pakistan’s UN peacekeeping mission began in 1960 when Pakistan deployed its first contingent in UN operations in the Congo.

Pakistan has participated in 46 joint missions with more than 200,000 troops in about 28 countries around the world.

In UN peacekeeping missions, 158 soldiers, including 24 officers, laid down their lives. This year, Naik Muhammad Naeem Raza Shaheed has been awarded the United Nations Special Medal.

Pakistan is doing a great service to the United Nations where numerous world leaders and the United Nations leadership have widely recognized the performance of Pakistan’s peacekeeping force at the international level.

Pakistani women were also active in the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo.

The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State could not help but be impressed by Pakistani women as Alice G. Wells praised the role of Pakistani women in peace keeping.

The role of Pakistani women was very inspiring as their services for peace were decisive. However, around 83 Pakistani women are still part of the UN peacekeeping mission.

Pakistan is the first country to deploy women troops in Congo on June 19, 2019.

Pakistan’s journey with UN
ROLE OF PAKISTAN IN UN PEACEKEEPING
1. Pakistani peacekeepers have a long and distinguished history of serving with the United Nations. The very roots of our commitment with UN for promoting international peace and security stems from the vision of the Founding Father, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, which stipulates Pakistan's resolve to make utmost contribution to the promotion of peace and prosperity among the nations of the world, while upholding the principles of the United Nations Charter. 
2. Going back in history, Pakistan joined the United Nations on 30 September 1947 which marked the beginning of an illustrious era that is unmatched in history. Our support to UN Peacekeeping Operation's began in 1960, when Pakistan deployed its first ever contingent in United Nations' Operations in Congo. Taking this initial step forward, over the past 60 years Pakistan has been instrumental in implementing the mandate of United Nations missions across the world; our feats are un-paralleled in this regard. 
3. Pakistan has contributed more than 200,000 troops in 46 mission and 28 countries in almost all continents of the world. With the spirit of sacrificing our today for the world's tomorrow, 158 Pakistani peacekeepers have sacrificed their lives including 24 Officers in the noble cause of helping humanity to build peace and restoring stability in turbulent regions under the auspices of United Nations. 
4. Pakistan has remained one of the largest and most effective Troops Contributing Country consistently over the years. Our contingents abroad have played a significant role in normalizing war-torn communities, maintaining law and order and ensuring successful transition of political dispensation through supervision of elections. Performance of Pakistani peacekeepers has been widely acknowledged globally by numerous world leaders and UN leadership. 
5. Presently, Pakistani peacekeepers are deployed in Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Darfur, Somalia, Western Sahara, Mali, Abyei and Cyprus, helping humanitarian causes, bringing stability and promoting peace thus building a secure and peaceful world.
6. Pakistan's continuous participation in diverse peacekeeping missions is an affirmation of our enduring commitment to the purpose and principles of United Nations Charter despite heavy domestic demands placed on its security forces. Pakistan is highly appreciative and supportive of UN's novel initiatives, more notably Strategic Review of Peacekeeping, Force Generation through Peacekeeping Capability Readiness System and Secretary General and Initiative on action for Peace (4AP). 
7. To address the marginalized communities, Pakistan has enhanced focus on gender mainstreaming and female representation in Peacekeeping Missions. Pakistan is the 1st country to deploy Female Engagement Teams (FETs) in peacekeeping missions. Currently 3 FETs (47 x Lady Officers) has been deployed in UN Mission Congo and CAR 
8. Pakistan has an elaborate Foreign Outreach Programme to engage friendly countries, UN Organizations and International Peacekeeping Training Institutions. Bilateral activities include 19 Instructor Exchange Programmes with 5 countries, collaboration with 7 x International Training Institutes and Association of Centre for International Peace and Stability (CIPS), NUST with UN Women, UNOCHA, UNHCR and UN ITS.