CSS Pakistan Affairs | Pakistan’s Role in the UN Peacekeeping
The following question of CSS Pakistan Affairs is solved by Maria Qazi under the supervision of Howfiv’s Pakistan Affairs Coaches. She learnt how to attempt 20 marks question and essay writing from Sir Syed Kazim Ali, Pakistan’s best CSS and PMS English essay and precis teacher with the highest success rate of his students. This solved past paper question is attempted on the pattern taught by Sir to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory and optional subjects for years, and uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Understanding United Nations Peacekeeping Mission
3-Objectives and Principles of United Nations Peacekeeping Missions: view
4-Pakistan’s Role in the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions
- ✓UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia _ 1991-93
- ✓Role of Pakistan in UN Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia _ 1992-95
- ✓UN Protection Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina _1992-96
- ✓UN Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone _ 2001-05
- ✓UN Mission in Sudan _ 2005-11
5-The success of Pakistan in achieving a positive reputation
- ✓Pakistan’s first-ever all-female peacekeeping team
- ✓Contribution of Pakistani Blue Berets
- ✓ ‘Pakistan and Somalia Walla Walla’ slogan
- ✓Contribution of 200,000 troops in 46 missions and 28 countries
- ✓Fight Against Terrorism
- ✓Pakistan has a Special Position at the UN
6-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
Saving a man is like saving mankind entirely. Unfortunately, the mentioned Quranic Verse has remained a slogan since the world has left spirituality and become a hub for rivalries, conflicts, religious and economic wars, and chaos where now maintaining peace, security, and establishing brotherly relations have become nigh on impossible. However, to overcome the uncertainty, international organisations have been established that go the extra mile for the sake of harmony and stability. Among them, the UN Security Council (UNSC), an organ of the UN, by the participation of its permanent members and contributing countries, is actively driving missions in ravaged and war-torn regions in order to reconstruct and re-establish them and save the affected states from illegal invasions of rebels. For this purpose, Pakistani peacekeepers have successfully managed to accomplish a significant number of peacekeeping missions in war-torn states, including Somalia, Haiti, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and Cambodia. Owing to the sacrifices of Pakistan’s valiant troops, the nation has achieved recognition worldwide. Recently, on 16 February 2020, UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutiérrez hailed Pakistan’s peacekeeping contributions, “Pakistan is among the top contributors to UN peacekeeping. It was inspiring to meet some of the brave women and men who are serving for peace around the world. Thank you for your service and sacrifice.” He further said, “I am in a love affair with Pakistan and its people”. Therefore, successful operations of UN peacekeeping missions in the mentioned regions would be nearly impossible without Pakistan’s assistance.
Understanding United Nations Peacekeeping Mission
In a world that is more divided than ever, the lives of millions of innocent people are at risk due to major conflicts among countries. To preserve human rights, peace and security, the United Nations introduced another organ, the UN Security Council, in 1945. Consequently, United Nations Peacekeeping Missions are operations mandated by the UN Security Council (UNSC) , an organ of the UN, to maintain peace, stability, and security in order to avoid intensive wars and future World War III. The organisation has its own structures and functions and particular contributors working on particular missions. In membership, the UN Security Council consists of mainly 15 members, among which five members, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China, and France, are permanent members and have veto powers. Despite conflicts among P5, the nations have never been to war because of their veto power and balance while making decisions on security issues. Moreover, to create long-lasting peace, the Security Council, General Assembly, Troops contributing countries, and host governments assembled in combined efforts to perpetuate international peace and security. To illustrate, since 1948, seventy-two missions, of which fourteen are active at present, have been operated successfully with the contribution of the P5 and 100 contributing governments. Take an example from the Arab-Israeli war of 1948, where the UN and Non-Un peacekeeping operations (PKOs), the first mission, carried out a probable resolution, which ended the conflict in the next few years.
Objectives and Principles of United Nations Peacekeeping Missions: an overview
Moreover, although peacekeeping’s progress depends on political processes and cannot substitute without the determination of its parties in rivalry to end conflicts, the Security Council, to achieve its objectives, still plays a pivotal role in ensuring commitment and cooperation by providing missions with realistic and accountable mandates. The UN peacekeeping aims mainly are to Protect Civilians, Prevent conflicts, Build the rule of law and security institutions, Promote human rights, Empower women, and deliver field support. UN Peacekeeping Mission, by the zealous partnership of the UN Secretariat, Security Council, and uniformed personnel of contributing countries, has facilitated 55 successful missions. Nonetheless, UN peacekeeping has autonomous powers that include legitimacy, the ability to share the burden, and to deploy troops and police globally only on the condition to keep in view its fundamental principles, including consent of the contributed parties, impartiality, no force use except in self-defence and defence of mandates. Currently, 12 UN peacekeeping operations are deployed on three continents. To conclude, despite obstacles, the objectives and principles of the missions are successfully followed and highly favoured globally.
Pakistan’s Role in the United Nations Peacekeeping Missions
Consequently, Pakistan has been one of the most significant and distinguished peacekeeping contributors, providing thousands of troops to the UN Peacekeeping Missions in battlegrounds. Further, the nation has also partaken in several social and political peacekeeping operations, illustrated in following paragraphs.
- UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia _ 1991-93
Initially, it was the first occasion when the situation was exceptional and intensified for the UN as it had to take control over the administration of an independent state and promote and protect human rights. For this purpose, again Pakistan’s troops were assigned to a remote region infested with warring rebels. Here, the Pakistani contingent carried out peacekeeping operations, made rebels surrender, and fostered a programme of humanitarian assistance in repairing roads, digging wells, and setting up medical care facilities.
- Role of Pakistan in UN Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia _ 1992-95
Next, due to internal conflicts in Somalia in 1993, customary law in the region temporarily collapsed, endangering the lives of a large majority of civilians. As a result, a great deal of the population suffered famine, dispossessed from their homes, and many innocents were killed. Pakistan’s peacekeeper battalions, being at the front line of preferred troops contributing to the UN mission, were assigned the tasks of protecting air and sea ports, recovering authorised arms, and carrying out an inspection of the storage of weapons at the site of the war-lord to ensure the safety of humanitarian efforts in the ravaged area. Although the laudable roles of the gallant battalion reaped fruits, 23 Pakistanis were martyred, and 56 sustained injuries as a result of that. However, the efforts were followed by a slogan, “Pakistan and Somalia Walla Walla”, defining Pakistan and Somalia as brothers.
- UN Protection Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina _1992-96
Further, in 1992, the Bosnian Serbs declared independence, which triggered civil war in Sarajevo, particularly targeting Muslims and Catholic Croats. While UN mandates fell short of confronting Bosnian Serbs, Pakistan’s valiant peacemakers, a three thousand-strong contingent, successfully monitored all ethnic and military groups, refugees, and dispossessed persons and stabilised the military situation by improving freedom of movement, guarding UN agencies and the Non-government agencies (NGOs), involved in relief work. Subsequently, the supplication of food, medical care, clothing and financial aid, particularly to orphans, were ensured by Pakistani troops.
- UN Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone _ 2001-05
Ensuingly, in 2001-25, the civil war between the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and government forces left dreadful situations like famine, breakdown of state machinery, migration of numbers of refugees and fifty thousand dead. To ensure peace and security, the Pakistani brigade group airlifted and performed diverse tasks like patrolling, disarmament, and reintegration of rebels and establishment of camps, a ‘winning hearts and minds’ campaign. Moreover, The Pakistani contingent ensured law and order for peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections in May 2002. Thus, again, the designation goes to Pakistan for the spirit of its goodwill in maintaining peace and security in the region.
- UN Mission in Sudan _ 2005-11
In succeeded after 22 years of intense conflict between the central government in Khartoum and the Sudan’s People’s Liberation (SPLA), which led to the death toll of two million people and migration of millions, and later to a Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the rivalries, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had decided to establish a mission to Sudan to ensure implementation of the agreement. To achieve this, the Pakistani contingent ensured the safety of civilians in the Blue Nile state and participated in the reconstruction of civic amenities. Apart from that, the Pakistani peacekeepers engaged in establishing free medical camps, food and other accommodations. Above all, the Pakistani engineers de-mined the area along the Ethiopian border, even being unmarked, by mine detection dogs. Therefore, brave and determined Pakistani troops have never felt reluctant in UN peacekeeping missions and have always been on the front row for maintaining peace and security globally.
The success of Pakistan in achieving a positive reputation
Owning to the sacrifices of Pakistani troops, Blue Berets, and commander-in-chief, the nation achieved global fame and reputation. Among them, a significant number of recognitions are highlighted as follows:
- Pakistan’s first-ever all-female peacekeeping team
To begin with, despite the existence of cultural and traditional constraints in South Asia, Pakistan has promoted the contribution of women as peacekeepers in UN missions by providing women officers who serve both in the military and the police. Pakistani women officers include psychologists, doctors, stress counsellors, vocational training officers, nurses, operation officers, information officers, and logistics officers. Moreover, having deployed with UN missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan’s female engagement team, containing 15 female Majors and Captains, have been awarded the UN Medal in Adikivu in South Kivu.
- Contribution of Pakistani Blue Berets
Correspondingly, Pakistani battalions, as Blue Beret peacekeepers, have devoted services in Haiti by providing assistance to repair and build roads, reconstruct schools, and install lights in parks and streets to facilitate night-time study. In acknowledgement of Pakistani Blue Berets, a school was named ‘Pakistan School’. Also, as a tribute to that, the president of Haiti expressed gratitude for his nation in the following words
“I express my deep appreciation and gratitude to the people of Pakistan, the Pakistan army and its valiant soldiers for their manifestation filled with utmost sincerity, friendship and solidarity.”
- ‘Pakistan and Somalia Walla Walla’ slogan
Equally important, during the conflict in Somalia in 1992, Pakistani peacekeepers ensured the humanitarian efforts in the war-torn country by protecting air and sea ports, recovering authorised arms, and carrying out an inspection of weapons from the opponent’s side. Above all, in an extreme show of restraint, the courageous Pakistani battalions successfully protected the women and children who were being used as human shields by rebels. The bravery of Pakistani peacekeepers soon won the minds and hearts of the locals, resulting in the slogan “Pakistan and Somalia Walla Walla”. The brotherly relations, however, have remained till today.
- Contribution of 200,000 troops in 46 missions and 28 countries
Besides, to sustain global peace and security, Pakistan has modestly forborne 200,000 troops in 46 missions and 28 countries virtually every continent. Among them, 157 Pakistani peacekeepers, including 24 officers have sacrificed their lives, and 97 Pakistani peacekeepers have been awarded the highest UN accolade, the Dag Hammarskjold Medal. Therefore, the nation is constituting ten per cent of UN deployments.
- Fight Against Terrorism
Coupled with that, Pakistan has been playing a major role in fighting against terrorism for 18 years and has been deploying its eastern and western borders. Despite that, currently, the nation deploys five thousand of its troops to nine UN missions to fulfil its commitment to the ongoing fight against terrorism. The nation is the sixth largest police contributor, actively working in the campaign against international terrorism, as stated by the Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations Report.
- Pakistan has at Special Position at UN
Finally, the nation has the singular honour of being appointed to key peacekeeping positions that include special envoy to the UN Secretary-General, Military Adviser at the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Chief Military Observer, and Force and Deputy Force Commanders. Also, Pakistani cohorts have played a constructive role in formalising war-torn societies, maintaining law and order, and enabling successful political transitions under fragile environments. Undoubtedly, without Pakistan’s contributive role, achievements of UN Peacekeeping goals would be nothing but a slogan.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, although in a world of conflict, hardly any state has been immune from uncertainty, international peacekeeping organisations like the UN Security Council, along with its permanent members and contributors, still have been playing a pivotal role in maintaining peace in strategic regions. In contribution to its missions, Pakistan’s gallant troops have successfully operated in different peacekeeping missions and provided support, shelter, and medical care to affected areas. Moreover, the sacrifices of Pakistani peacekeepers in the attainment of their goals have brought global fame and fortune. Moreover, during his visit to Pakistan in 2013, then-UN Secretary-General Ban said, “I was overwhelmed with gratitude for its role in aiding international peace and security. More than 100 polities are troop contributing countries (TCCs) and police for UN peacekeeping missions. Pakistan is number One.” Therefore, as Pakistan’s troops constitute ten per cent of UNSC deployment, making such operations successful without the nation’s contribution is next to impossible.
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