Pakistan has urged the United Nations not to let financial pressure and cost-cutting weaken its peacekeeping operations. Its Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Syed Haider Shah, warned that smaller resources could undermine the organisation's ability to maintain international peace and security. His remarks came at a time when Pakistan's UN peacekeeping role is being tested by a tighter budget.
Why the budget is under pressure
The UN General Assembly has approved a budget of $5.1 billion for peacekeeping operations for 2026-27. That is about 10 per cent lower than the previous year's allocation. The organisation already faced a funding crisis last year, which forced it to reduce mission spending and bring home a quarter of its uniformed personnel serving in peacekeeping operations.
Ambassador Shah said peacekeeping now faces political and security conditions that are more complicated than before. He argued that the growing use of regional arrangements and ad hoc operations shows that a credible UN presence on the ground is still needed. In his view, the answer is reform that makes peacekeeping more effective without weakening the capabilities missions need to carry out their mandates.
Pakistan's reform priorities
Pakistan welcomed the secretary-general's review of peacekeeping and set out six priorities. These are political solutions first, focused and adequately resourced mandates, preserving the institution's existing strengths, preparing for future military and police needs, improving the safety of peacekeepers, and keeping peacekeeping a collective UN responsibility.
The central concern, as the envoy framed it, is the widening gap between what peacekeeping missions are asked to do and the resources available to them. Ambassador Shah told the Fourth Committee of the 81st session of the General Assembly on Friday that the Security Council must show the political will to use this tool when circumstances require it. Pakistan's position is that budget cuts should not be used to narrow what missions can achieve.
Pakistan's record in UN missions
Pakistan is one of the largest and longest-serving contributors to UN peacekeeping. More than 170,000 Pakistani military and police personnel have served in UN missions over the past six decades, and 183 of them lost their lives. Pakistan also hosts the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan, known as UNMOGIP, which is one reason the country has a direct stake in how these missions are funded.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Pakistan ne UN ko khabardar kiya hai ke budget mein kami se peacekeeping missions kamzor na hon. UN General Assembly ne 2026-27 ke liye peacekeeping ka 5.1 billion dollar ka budget manzoor kiya hai, jo pichle saal se lagbhag 10 fisad kam hai. Pakistan ke hazaron fauji aur police afsar in missions mein kaam kar chuke hain, is liye yeh faisle Pakistan ke liye aham hain. Aam Pakistani ke liye fori tor par qeemat ya bill mein tabdeeli ka zikr nahi, lekin yeh amn ke liye Pakistan ki khaarjaah policy ka hissa hai.
