Analyzing Pakistan’s participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations as An instrument of Pakistan’s foreign policy

Abstract

United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKOs) are hailed as the foremost retort to the ever convoluting conflict dynamics around the world. Invariably, the conduct of UNPKOs depends, almost exclusively, on the foreign policy objectives of United Nations (UN) member states. Consequently, national interests – foreign policy objectives – are the mechanism for calculating the benefits of conflict intervention. However, keeping direct (political and economic) foreign policy objectives in view, the normative structures of the international society and the internal norms of a state should not be marginalized while analyzing the participation of states in UNPKOs. In this view, Pakistan‟s involvement with peacekeeping operations has not only been active but diverse. It has expanded to encompass; provision of security to the civilians, monitoring areas and borders which are disputed, observing the peace process and training the military personnel of the deployed countries, and supporting the ex-combatants in implementing the peace process to ensure lasting peace. However, the underlying motivations of Pakistan‟s involvement have not been elucidated, especially gauging the fulfillment of its foreign policy objectives. The aim of this research is to analyze in-depth the underlying reasons of Pakistan„s activism in UNPKOs and thematically and theoretically frame the motivations under political interests, economic incentives and normative considerations to arrive at conclusive assessments of its participation in UNPKOs. More so, the study aims to provide recommendations to advance the relationship between Pakistan‟s involvement and UNPKOs and to regulate the institutional capacity at Pakistan‟s end. In this vein, the research will utilize secondary data to analyze the UNPKOs in which Pakistan has been a contributing member and assess the fulfillment of Pakistan‟s foreign policy objectives from a theoretically grounded approach. Primary data in the shape of semi-structured interviews from peacekeepers from Pakistan and foreign policy experts will verify the subjectivity of the findings. It is imperative to evaluate this dimension – activism in UNPKOs – of Pakistan, despite its limited resources and institutional impediments. Pakistan‟s unrelenting resolve to put its soldiers in harm‟s way in the cause of peace needs a thorough and in-depth analysis in paving a strategy laden approach for its future endeavors.