NEW YORK: Pakistan's Permanent Representative to United Nations Dr Maleeha Lodhi on Wednesday while highlighting the role of Pakistani women in international peacekeeping efforts said that the country is proud that one of its women police officer, Shahzadi Gulfam, received the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award.

In debate on women and peace in UN Security Council, Dr Lodhi maintained that Pakistan's commitment to empowering women is rooted in faith, Constitution and vision of country's founding fathers.

She said that women from Pakistan have served on the front lines of international peacekeeping as police officers, doctors and nurses and one of its female police officers even received the International Female Police Peacekeeper Award in 2011.

Pakistani woman police officer, Shahzadi Gulfam, working for a UN peacekeeping operation, received the 2011 International Female Police Peacekeeper Award in recognition of her outstanding performance.

She was deployed with the United Nations Mission in Timor-Leste (UNMIT) as the UN Police (UNPOL) team leader posted in the Timor-Leste National Police Vulnerable Persons Unit in Dili, the capital.

"Pakistan holds the distinction of electing the first female head of government in the entire Muslim world",said Dr Lodhi while referring to former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Benazir Bhutto became Pakistan’s first female prime minister as her party Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) gained 93 out of the 207 general seats in the 1988 general elections.

Apart from citing examples, the ambassador also reminded the UNSC about country's founding father Muhammad Ali Jinnah's famous statement, "No nation can rise to glory unless women are side by side by men."

While commenting on the international refugee crisis, Dr Lodhi called for action to protect refugee women fleeing a number of war zones around the world.

Under the UN Charter, the Security Council, the most powerful UN body, has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

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