ISLAMABAD, Dec 7: Pakistan on Wednesday said it was awaiting appointment of United Nation’s special envoy for reconstruction to coordinate the international rebuilding efforts. Secretary General Kofi Annan, during his recent visit to Pakistan, had said he would appoint a special envoy for reconstruction of the quake-hit areas, which he did for tsunami rehabilitation.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, speaking at a ceremony held to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the international organization, thanked the UN for galvanising international relief support in the aftermath of the Oct 8 quake that left 86,000 people dead and 3.3 million homeless.

Mr Bakhtiar said Pakistan has been playing an important role in the UN reforms process and remains committed to make the UN an effective and efficient forum.

Pakistan in its capacity as the head of UN’s Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc), he said, was already making a modest contribution in achieving the objectives for which Ecosoc had been created.

The state minister recalled Pakistan’s proud and rich association with the world body and said we hold out the distinction of being the oldest and largest contributors to the peace-keeping operations of the UN.

He said the UN has got a critical role in promoting international peace and security and UN’s military observers in India and Pakistan was playing an important role in maintaining peace in the region.

UN Resident Coordinator Jan J. Vandemoortele, speaking on this occasion, reminded that the road ahead in the relief operation still remains difficult, two months after the powerful earthquake struck the region.

He said relations between Pakistan and the UN during the past 58 years have been strong and vibrant. Different UN agencies in Pakistan addressed many dimensions of human development.