Gen Awan to represent Pakistan at UN conference on peacekeeping

UNITED NATIONS: Corps Commander Lt-Gen Ghayur Mahmood Awan will represent Pakistan at a United Nations conference on peacekeeping operations later this week that will bring together more than 110 defence chiefs and top military officers from UN member states, officials said.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will open the first-ever ‘Chiefs of Defence Conference’ organised by the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support on March 27. The Indian delegation will be headed by Chief of Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhaq. Pakistan is one of the biggest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions around the world, with nearly 10,000 troops serving the world body around the world.
Officials said the conference will focus on UN peacekeeping operations in the current political, strategic and operational environment as well as on the future of UN peacekeeping. Discussions would also discuss challenges and opportunities for mission support in peacekeeping operations and performance challenges in the current security environment.
The defence chiefs will hold discussions with Under Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Herve Ladsous and Under Secretary-General for Field Support Atul Khare, an Indian national. Several senior UN peacekeeping officials, including Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations Lt Gen Maqsood Ahmed, a Pakistani national, will also take part in the conference.