UN peacekeeping missions involving Pakistan
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Peacekeeping, as defined by the United Nations, is a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace. UN peacekeepers—soldiers and military officers, civilian police officers and civilian personnel from many countries—monitor and observe peace processes that emerge in post-conflict situations and assist ex-combatants in implementing the peace agreements they have signed. Such assistance comes in many forms, including confidence-building measures, power-sharing arrangements, electoral support, strengthening the rule of law, and economic and social development. All operations must include the resolution of conflicts through the use of force to be considered valid under the charter of the United Nations.
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[edit] Completed missions
[edit] Congo (August 1960 to May 1964)
Contribution: 400 Troops, Ordnance, Transport units and Staff Personnel
Casualties: None.
Operation of the United Nations in Congo was a United Nations peacekeeping force in Congo that was established after United Nations Security Council Resolution 143 of July 14, 1960. It was active during the Congo Crisis. During the operation Pakistan provided logistic support during movement of troops to and from Congo and inland movement to the United Nation troops. Pakistan Army Supply Corps (ASC) organized the whole operation in a meticulous manner. It continued uninterrupted from 1960 to 1964 with four Independent Army Supply Corps companies, each consisting of about 100 personnel. The movement control entailed move through sea, air, rail, river and road transport. A systematic organization was created to ensure foolproof administrative arrangements for transportation of troops, weapons, equipment, stores and rations throughout Congo in unfriendly environments.
–===Somalia (March 1992 to February 1996)=== Contribution: 7200 troops.
Casualties: 39.
United Nations Operation in Somalia I (UNISOM I), during the Somali Civil War, P On 14th September 1992 five hundred Pakistani troops arrived in Mogadishu to launch the United Nation humanitarian campaign. Deployment of the security force was preceded by the arrival of an advance party of 50 United Nation observers, drawn from different countries, led by a Pakistani Brigadier.
At this time, attacks by armed gangs on incoming and docked ships as well as air strips were common. They also looted food supplies arriving under international humanitarian aid before they could reach delivery and distribution points. The Pakistani security personnel (ex 7 Frontier Force Regiment) were therefore assigned the task of securing the sea and airports, escorting food convoys and ensuring smooth distribution of relief supplies. The Pakistani Contingent was also instructed to recover unauthorized arms to further enhance the safety of peace-keeping and humanitarian efforts. Provision of medical aid, rehabilitation of people and reconstruction of infrastructure in the war—ravaged areas were also part of the programme. Pakistani troops secured the Mogadishu airport to make it safe for relief flights. They also cleared the nearby port of armed bandits who could pose a threat to the anchoring and off-loading of ships carrying grain and other edibles for the famished people.
Escorting of relief convoys and effective and tactful handling of the security situation soon won the Pakistanis the trust and respect of the local population. [1][2]. -->Their selfless services provided the Somalians both relief and hope after a dark period of terror and hunger. In order to enlarge the scope and scale of peace-keeping and humanitarian work over thirty-seven thousand troops, drawn from more than two dozen countries including US, Italy, France and Germany, were inducted by March 1993 and UNOSOM -1 converted into UNITAF (United Nations International Task Force). Pakistan, whose strength in later months rose to over 7000 troops, became the main operative contingent in the most war-ravaged part of Mogadishu.
The Pakistani troops were asked by the United Nation Force Headquarters to carry out an inspection of the weapon storage sites of Farah Aideed, to whom the date and time of inspection had been communicated in advance. Nobody at the United Nation Force Headquarters was able to foresee his reaction and his power to arouse the feelings of his followers against those who were carrying out the inspection. Even as their colleagues were engaged in distributing food at one of the feeding points, the Pakistani inspectors were ambushed by Aideeds followers. The ambushers were using children and women as human shields to prevent being fired back while the road-blocks they had set up made Pakistanis withdrawal difficult. Though taken by surprise and totally exposed, the courageous blue beret Pakistanis fought their way back taking full care that the children and women protecting the attackers remained unharmed. In the process twenty-three Pakistanis where killed, fifty-six sustained injuries while eleven were disabled. The Olympic Hotel Incident of 3rd October 1993 took place during one of these operations when 75 US Rangers got stranded and had to be rescued by a joint force of US and Pakistani troops. The grim battle lasted eight hours. The US Rangers suffered 19 dead and 77 injured while one was captured by Aideed forces. The wounded were admitted to the Pakistani hospital at Soccer Stadium. --
[edit] Current deployment
| Start of operation | Name of Operation | Location | Conflict | Contribution | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) |  |
Democratic Republic of Congo | Second Congo War | 3556 Troops. [3] |
| 2003 | United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) |  |
Liberia | Second Liberian Civil War | 2741 Troops. [4] |
| 2004 | United Nations Operation in Burundi ONUB |  |
Burundi | Burundi Civil War | 1185 Troops.[5] |
| 2004 | United Nations Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (UNOCI) |  |
Côte d'Ivoire | Civil war in Côte d'Ivoire | 1250 Troops. [6] http://www.onuci.org/archives/communiques/onuci_330_e.html |
| 2005 | United Nations Mission in the Sudan (UNMIS) |  |
Sudan | Second Sudanese Civil War | 1542 Troops. [7] |
| Staff/Observers | 191 Observers. [8] |
- The total amount of troops serving currently in peacekeeping missions is 10,173 (as of March, 2007).
[edit] See also
- Military of Pakistan
- List of countries where UN peacekeepers are currently deployed
- Timeline of UN peacekeeping missions
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- See individual mission websites with their listing.
- UN peacekeeping website
- Inter Services Public Relations - Pakistan
- Mercenaries for hire: Pakistan Army (Is Peacekeeping by 3rd world countries helping in anyway?)
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