Pakistan welcomes appointment of new MINURSO commander

Pakistan has officially welcomed the appointment of Major General Jawad Ahmed as the new commander of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). Major General Ahmed, a recipient of the "Hilal-e-Imtiaz Military" award, succeeds Major General Fakhrul Ahsan of Bangladesh, who concluded his mission on August 2.

The Permanent Mission of Pakistan to the United Nations highlighted that Major General Ahmed's appointment underscores Islamabad's unwavering commitment to supporting UN peacekeeping operations and international efforts to foster peace and stability. Pakistan continues to contribute to these missions by deploying experienced units and commanders.

With over 35 years of experience in command and operations within the Pakistani Army and UN peacekeeping missions, Major General Ahmed possesses a wealth of expertise. His previous senior military roles include commanding an infantry division, leading Northern Areas forces, and serving as Director General at the Ministry of Defence. He also gained valuable experience in command, staff, and training both domestically and internationally.

Major General Ahmed previously served with the UN Transitional Administration in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES) in Croatia. His extensive field and UN experience are considered key assets for his new role. The appointment comes as MINURSO continues its field operations monitoring the ceasefire in the Western Sahara.

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The appointment of Jawad Ahmed reflects Islamabad's continued commitment to supporting United Nations peacekeeping operations and international efforts to promote peace and stability.