Army chief urges UNSC, secretary general for 'peaceful resolution' for Kashmir issue

• Gen Munir highlights challenges faced by UN peacekeepers.
• Urges UN to enable peacekeeping missions to be more effective. 
• Says Pakistan seeks a region where peace prevails, trade prospers.

ISLAMABAD: Army chief General Asim Munir urged the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and Secretary General for a “peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute” as per the UN resolutions and wishes of the Kashmiri people. 

According to a statement issued by the Foreign Office, the chief of army staff (COAS) made the remarks as the chief guest during the closing session of the preparatory meet organised in Islamabad from August 30-31 ahead of the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial Meet. 

The session was co-hosted by Pakistan and Japan on the theme of “Safety and Security of Peacekeepers”. Delegates from different countries, senior UN officials and diplomats based in Islamabad also attended the conference.

Gen Munir lauded the UN’s role in the “maintenance of international peace and highlighted increasing challenges and unprecedented levels of threats being faced by peacekeepers”. 

He also urged the UN to enable peacekeeping missions to be more effective in addressing the complex threats while assuring the safety and security of the blue helmets.

“Pakistan aspires to create a region where peace prevails and trade, transit and investment generate prosperity for all the states of south, West and Central Asia.”

Before Gen Munir’s remarks, Under Secretary General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix thanked Pakistan for hosting the meet and making invaluable contributions to global peace.

On the other hand, Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, in his remarks, recalled Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to UN peacekeeping, spanning over six decades, as a tangible manifestation of its contribution to the maintenance of international peace and security.

Jilani paid tribute to the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives in the noble cause of peacekeeping, including 171 Pakistanis.

The UN Peacekeeping Ministerial is the seminal high-level event for peacekeeping, held biennially with the participation of foreign and defence ministers.

The 2023 ministerial will be held in Ghana in December, preceded by a series of four preparatory meetings, including one being hosted by Pakistan, with a focus on specific areas to facilitate concrete outcomes for improving UN peacekeeping operations.

Pakistan is an active player in the field of UN peacekeeping, both at the policy and operational levels. Pakistan is among the largest troop contributors and, since 1960, has contributed over 230,000 men and women peacekeepers to 46 UN peacekeeping missions in almost all continents of the world, the spokesperson added.

“172 Pakistani peacekeepers made the ultimate sacrifice by sacrificing their lives in the line of duty. Pakistan’s hosting of the preparatory meeting signifies its continued commitment to UN peacekeeping aimed at maintaining security and stability in various conflict zones,” she added.