Two Pakistani security forces personnel were among 57 United Nations peacekeepers honoured posthumously at a solemn ceremony held at the UN Headquarters in New York to mark the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
The ceremony paid tribute to military, police, and civilian personnel from 32 countries who lost their lives while serving in UN peacekeeping missions across the globe last year.
Pakistan Army’s Sepoy Muhammad Tariq and Havaldar Ahsanullah Khan, who served under the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), were posthumously awarded the Dag Hammarskjöld Medal—one of the UN’s highest honours bestowed upon peacekeepers who lose their lives in the line of duty.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres presided over the ceremony and paid tribute to the fallen heroes, acknowledging their courage and sacrifice. He emphasised the increasingly challenging conditions faced by peacekeepers, including rising global tensions, terrorism, disinformation campaigns, and transnational threats such as climate change and international crime.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Munir Akram, and the Mission’s Military Adviser, Colonel Umar Shafiq, received the medals on behalf of the martyred Pakistani personnel. They were joined by ambassadors and military representatives from other contributing countries.
The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, observed annually on May 29, was established by the UN General Assembly in 2002 to honour the service and sacrifices of peacekeepers who strive to maintain peace and security around the world.
