Pakistan on Saturday urged United Nations (UN) to take steps for the protection of peacekeepers serving in the conflict zones around the world, Radio Pakistan reported.

Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to UN Munir Akram put forward the demand while speaking at a meeting convened by the ‘Group of Friends’, devoted to advancing the safety and security of UN Peacekeepers.

The group has China, Brazil, Indonesia, and Rwanda as its members.

The diplomat said that peacekeepers serving in war-torn areas around the world are facing the challenge of escalating attacks on them.

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Munir Akram said the threats to peacekeepers are increasing and urged the UN to take concrete actions to prevent them.

In September this year, a Pakistani soldier named Lance Naik Adil Jan, 38, had embraced martyrdom during an operation in the conflicted Darfur region of Sudan.

The martyred soldier belonged to the Frontier Corps Balochistan of Pakistan Army and he was part of an operation jointly conducted by the African Union and UN mission.

Pakistan, being one of the largest contributors of uniformed personnel to UN peacekeeping operations, has contributed over 200,000 troops in 43 missions since 1960s.

In its service to the cause of peace, Pakistan has so far lost 157 peacekeepers serving under the UN flag.