July 30, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 29, 1424

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LAHORE, July 29: More Pakistani troops left here on a United Nations chartered aircraft for Sierra Leone on Tuesday on a peacekeeping mission.

Pakistan has so far contributed over 8,000 troops during the last two years as part of the relief-rotation programme under the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), forming a major component of the UN blue berets for restoration of peace in that strife-torn country.

According to a news release issued here by the ISPR, the troops leaving the country for peacekeeping formed the first batch of peacekeeping troops of Pakistani Contingent-III. They will replace their counterparts of Pakistan Contingent-II that would return on completion of their tenure of duty there.

In Sierra Leone, Pakistan peacekeeping contingent was deployed in the most volatile parts of that country, said the press release.

General Officer Commanding (GOC) Maj-Gen Afzal Muzaffar told the troops that they were embarking on a noble mission as ambassadors of their country and their every action should be reflective of a proud Pakistani and a dedicated and devoted soldier of the Pakistan armed forces.

He said the sacrifices rendered by the Pakistani troops for the cause of peacekeeping the world over had earned them a reputation of a symbol of peace. He expressed the hope that the members of Pakistan Contingent-III would live up to the standards of professional commitment attained by their predecessors and spare no effort to maintain peace and order and to help their brethren in distress.