BUJUMBURA, Oct 3: UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative Carolyn McAskie on Monday paid glowing tributes to the services the Pakistan Army has been rendering in peacekeeping operation in strife-torn Burundi.

Talking to reporters, the chief of the UN mission in this Central African nation described the peacekeeping operation as ‘quite successful’ and said the UN would start disengagement sometime in 2006 as the peace was steadily returning to the country.

Ms McAskie said Pakistan has a history of making valuable contribution to peacekeeping missions in different parts of the world. She said the Pakistanis arrived here quickly well-equipped and they had played central role in different sectors of the mission, including disarming the warring rebels.

She said the Pakistan Army was ‘very disciplined’ and had acquired a high standard of professionalism.

The same views were also expressed by Maj-Gen Derrick Mgwebi, who heads the UN force in Burundi.

The Pakistan Army also provides medical and aviation facilities to troops from other countries and the UN employees.

During a visit to one of those hospitals, patient troops from Thailand, Nepal and South Africa were seen getting examined and treated by Pakistani doctors.