ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday applauded Pakistani soldiers for their diligent service in United Nations peacekeeping missions in conflict zones around the world, as the world body posthumously awarded prestigious medals to eight of them who lost their lives last year.

Pakistan has a long history of involvement in UN peacekeeping operations since it first started participating in 1960. As one of the largest contributors of troops, Pakistani military personnel have served in missions in Sierra Leone, Somalia, Liberia, Sudan, Côte d’Ivoire, Yemen, and Lebanon.

“In honor of the completion of 75 years of the UN Peacekeeping Mission, Pakistan is proud to be one of the largest contributors to peace missions under the United Nations umbrella,” the prime minister said in a Twitter post. “Pakistani soldiers have rendered excellent services, including making the ultimate sacrifice, in the most complex and dangerous conflict zones. We are proud of our peacekeepers for their unprecedented commitment to duty.”

The UN held a ceremony at its headquarters in New York on Thursday to honor 103 military, police, and civilian peacekeepers, including eight Pakistanis, who lost their lives in the line of duty under its banner last year.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres laid a floral wreath at the Peacekeepers Memorial before presiding over a medal distribution ceremony.

“I honor the memory of the men and women who have sacrificed their lives serving under the @UN flag in support of the most important cause of all - peace,” he wrote on Twitter. “My deepest sympathies go to their families, friends, and colleagues. Their contributions will never be forgotten.”

Since 1948, more than 4,200 UN peacekeepers have lost their lives in countries worldwide.

In recent years, Pakistan has actively promoted the inclusion of female peacekeepers to help empower local women in conflict zones.