Peacekeeping: It's Almost Like a Vacation

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July 11, 2006: Pakistan, despite having major commitments combating terrorism at home (to the tune of a couple of divisions' worth of troops on the North West Frontier and in Baluchistan), is also currently among the major contributors of peacekeeping troops in the world. Pakistan has nearly 10,000 personnel engaged in eleven operations, including over 3,600 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Among Western observers of peacekeeping operations, Pakistani troops are rated highly for their professionalism. The UN pays for the peacekeeping operations, and the Pakistani troops make a substantial bonus over their usual pay. The Pakistani government make some money out of it as well, and benefits from its troops getting some low risk (few casualties) operational experience. Much of what the Pakistani army is doing in the North West Frontier (the Pushtun tribes along the Afghan border) and Baluchistan (the Baluchi tribes) is basically peacekeeping, although against far more formidable opponents than they encounter during their UN work.

 

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