ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Wednesday warned that United Nations peacekeeping efforts were at a crossroads, strained by widening geopolitical rifts and financial pressures, even as they remain one of the most cost-effective means of maintaining international stability and require urgent multilateral support.
The remarks were made by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during the closing session of a high-level peacekeeping preparatory meeting co-hosted by Pakistan and the Republic of Korea in Islamabad.
UN peacekeeping, a flagship effort to help countries navigate the path from conflict to peace, deploys over 70,000 personnel worldwide. Pakistan has long been one of its top troop contributors, with over 235,000 personnel having served in 48 missions over the past six decades.
“The threat to multilateralism, rising unilateralism and financial pressures are straining the sustainability and effectiveness of UN peacekeeping operations, underscoring the urgent need to revitalize multilateral cooperation and adapting peacekeeping to a rapidly evolving global landscape,” Dar said.
“The Security Council must provide unified and consistent support to all peace operations,” he added. “Mandates must be clear, focused and grounded in field realities.”
Dar also called for greater inclusion of troop-contributing countries in mission design, better resourcing aligned with mandates, accountability for attacks on peacekeepers and stronger regional partnerships, including with the African Union and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Over the two-day conference, participants explored the use of advanced technologies, such as drones, counter-improvised explosive device (IED) systems and simulation-based training, to enhance the safety and performance of peacekeepers.
Dar said credible deterrence and accountability were necessary to protect personnel in increasingly complex and hostile environments.
He also paid tribute to the 4,423 peacekeepers from over 130 countries who have lost their lives in the line of duty, including 181 Pakistanis.
Dar reiterated Pakistan’s support for the UN Charter and the need for peacekeeping to be part of a broader political strategy that addresses the root causes of conflict.
He emphasized that without inclusive political solutions, peacekeeping can only offer temporary relief.
Pakistan says UN peacekeeping at a crossroads, urges revitalized multilateral action
https://arab.news/2kb5g
Pakistan says UN peacekeeping at a crossroads, urges revitalized multilateral action
- Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar asks Security Council to provide unified support to all peace operations
- He describes UN peacekeeping as one of the most cost-effective means of maintaining international stability
Pakistan telecom regulator urges restraint on social media amid regional tensions
- PTA warns against sharing unverified content, says legal action may follow ‘fake news’
- Advisory comes as Pakistan strikes targets in Afghanistan and Iran faces US, Israeli attacks
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s telecom regulator on Saturday urged citizens to avoid sharing “unverified or inflammatory” content online, warning that legal action could be taken against those spreading misinformation amid what it described as a “sensitive national situation.”
The advisory from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) comes as Islamabad says it is targeting militant positions inside Afghanistan following a recent flareup between the two neighbors, while Iran is under attack by the United States and Israel in an escalating regional conflict that has heightened security concerns across South and West Asia.
“In view of the prevailing sensitive national situation, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) urges all citizens to be responsible while using social media and digital platforms,” the regulator said in a statement posted on X.
The PTA advised citizens “not to share, disseminate, forward, or upload any unverified, inflammatory, or misleading information/content that may directly or indirectly harm the national interest, public order, or state institutions.”
It said people should instead rely on authentic information based on official sources and refrain from spreading rumors and “fake news.”
“Sharing any fake news/information is liable to legal action in accordance with applicable laws,” the authority said, calling on citizens to act with “caution, maturity, and a strong sense of national responsibility” to help maintain stability and public confidence.
Pakistan in recent years has witnessed increasingly stringent implementation of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), a cybercrime law that has drawn criticism from rights groups, with journalists and activists arrested and prosecuted under its provisions.
