May 30, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 24, 1429

NEW YORK, May 29: Two fallen peacekeepers from Pakistan were among those honoured at a wreath-laying ceremony at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Wednesday.

Captain Pervaiz Mehdi lost his life while serving with the United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (ONUCI) in February 2007 and Inspector Zia Mohammad Khan lost his life while serving with the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) in May 2007.

Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie Guéhenno who led the ceremony noted that 90 peacekeepers died last year, taking the total number of personnel who have died since the first operation was established in 1948 to over 2,400.

“Serving far from home in challenging and dangerous environments, these men and women represent the best the international community has to offer; we pay tribute to their sacrifice and dedication in pursuit of the noble goals of the United Nations,” he said.—Correspondent