Pakistan marked the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers 2026 by reaffirming its strong support for UN peacekeeping missions and stressing the importance of continued global investment in peace efforts.

President Asif Ali Zardari said Pakistan remained committed to international peace and highlighted that the country hosts one of the oldest UN peacekeeping missions, the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan.He added that the mission continued to underline the need for a fair and lasting resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also paid tribute to Pakistani peacekeepers and noted that the 2026 theme, “Invest in Peace”, reflected the need for sustained political and financial commitment to global stability.

He stated that since 1960, more than 235,000 Pakistanis, including over 500 women peacekeepers, had served in UN missions across different conflict zones.He further said Pakistan was currently the fifth-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations worldwide.

The prime minister honoured more than 180 Pakistani peacekeepers who lost their lives while serving under the UN flag and described their sacrifices as a matter of national pride.He stressed that Pakistan’s continued participation reflected its commitment to multilateralism, international cooperation and global security.The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also issued a statement recognising the role and sacrifices of UN Blue Helmets.

ISPR said modern conflict zones had become more complex due to hybrid threats such as cyber risks, misinformation campaigns, political instability and climate-related humanitarian crises.

According to ISPR, Pakistan would continue investing in training, human resources and institutional capacity to support future peacekeeping operations.Pakistani peacekeepers are currently deployed in countries including Congo, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.