WASHINGTON: A Pakista­­ni soldier, Lance Naik Tahir Ikram, died in Sudan on Saturday when his truck met with an accident in the South Darfur region, Pakistan’s UN Mission announced.

Tahir Ikram was associated with the United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and was driving a mission truck when he had the accident. He was a member of the UNAMID’s Formed Police Unit.

The statement released by Pakistan’s UN Mission did not say how the accident happened and whether other people were also involved in this mishap.

“My sincere and heartfelt condolences to Lance Naik Tahir Ikram’s family on the tragic passing of a valuable member of International Police Peacekeeping,” Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Munir Akram said in a message released in New York.

“His services will be forever remembered. His dedication in the line of duty is beyond the call of duty. We are immeasurably indebted to him,” he added.

Pakistan is one of the longest-serving and largest contributors to UN peacekeeping and has a health personnel unit in Darfur as well.

Pakistan’s first UN peacekeeping mission began in 1960 in Congo and so far more than 200,000 Pakistani soldiers have participated in 60 missions in 28 countries. Pakistan still has more than 7,000 personnel deployed in nine countries as part of 14 ongoing UN missions.

During its long association with UN peacekeeping missions, Pakistan has lost 157 personnel and 24 officers — martyred during their efforts to restore peace and stability in some of the world’s most turbulent regions.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2021