Our object should be peace within, and peace without. We want to live peacefully and maintain cordial friendly relations with our immediate neighbours and with the world at large.

 

 

Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, message to the nation on the occasion of the inauguration of the Pakistan Broadcasting Service August 15, 1947.

 

CIPS was established on 1st March 2013. Later, it was inaugurated by UNSG Ban Ki-moon on 13th August 2013. It is an unique institution – the only one of its kind established with the purpose of conducting research and training in matters related to UN Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKOs). Its mandate is, however, not restricted to the relatively narrow field of peacekeeping. The studies at CIPS are organized within the overarching discipline of Peace & Conflict Studies. This relatively new branch of social sciences is devoted to identifying and analysing the nature of conflict with a view to finding solutions through peaceful and non-violent means.

 

Notwithstanding the fact that peace is an elusive commodity, humankind has always yearned for it. In the past few decades this desire for peace has translated into well structured genre of scholarly studies and scientific investigation. At the heart of these studies is an honest effort to prevent and defuse tensions and seek solutions to conflicts using the tools of negotiations, mediation and arbitration at all levels. This requires multi disciplinary knowledge from areas as diverse as political science, strategic studies, defence and diplomatic studies, geography, economics, psychology, sociology, international relations, history, anthropology, religious studies, and gender studies, as well as a variety of others. 

Pakistan’s Commitment to International Peace & Stability

1.            Participation in UN peacekeeping is obligated by our Constitution It is in this spirit that Pakistan continues to provide wholehearted support to international and regional for efforts for maintaining international peace and security.

2.              Peaceful resolution of dispute has been part of Pakistan’s foreign policy, that’s why it welcomed the deployment of UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) in 1949 to monitor ceasefire violations in the disputed territory of Jammu & Kashmir. This mission is still operational. The first Pakistani peacekeepers were sent to Congo 1960 and since then Pakistan has continuously provided peacekeepers to UN missions in international trouble spots.

3.            So far, Pakistan has participated in 41 UN peacekeeping missions in 23 countries, including 5 ongoing missions. Pakistan has provided over 150,000 peacekeepers for the UN missions so far. At present, its contribution in ongoing 5 missions is around 8000. Despite much greater challenges at home like the counter terrorist operations at home, Pakistan has been steadfast in fulfilling its international commitments by providing as many military peacekeepers as required by UN.  Pakistani peacekeepers have won laurels for their professionalism and adherence to the internationally recognized principles of peacekeeping i.e. total impartiality and minimum use force. The dedication of Pakistani peacekeepers towards humanitarian assistance as part of confidence and peace building measures has also been appreciated by parties involved in conflict. Pakistan has also provided outstanding senior civilian and military leadership for a number of UN missions.

4.            It speaks volumes of the dedication of the Pakistani peacekeepers that 138 of them, including 22 officers, have laid down their lives in fulfilling the task assigned to them under the UN mandate. On 5 June 1993, 24 Pakistani peacekeepers were killed while serving humanity as part of UN operations in Somalia. This day is commemorated as Pakistan Peacekeepers Day.

CIPS Academic Credentials

5.            CIPS has unique academic credentials. It functions as part of National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), which is Pakistan’s leading university and is counted among the top 500 of the world and the best 150 universities in Asia. CIPS is located in NUST main campus in Sector H12 Islamabad overlooking the scenic Margalla hills.

CIPS Academic Programs and Peacekeeping Training

6.            CIPS has the distinct honour of being formally inaugurated by UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki-moon on 13 August 2013. It functions on the hybrid model of combining graduate programs in Peace & Conflict Studies (PCS) with short courses on pre-deployment peacekeeping training. With time CIPS is expected to emerge as a centre of excellence in international peace and stability with a focus on peacekeeping, peace building and conflict resolution within the context of prevailing international and regional environment.

7.            CIPS has two departments i.e. the Department of Peace & Conflict Studies (PCS) and the Department of Peacekeeping Training (PKT)

a.            PCS department runs PhD and masters course. It scope of studies covers peace and conflict, international relations and strategic studies.

b.            PKT department trains officers and men from Pakistani armed forces as well those belonging to friendly countries. The PKT courses have been designed have been modelled on the requirements of the UN Department of Peacekeeping’s (DPKO) Integrated Training Service (ITS) and international best practices on the subject of peacekeeping. Curriculum is continually reviewed and regularly updated with inputs from professionals and emerging trends on the subject of peacekeeping.

c.            Lectures are conducted not only by the regular faculty, who understand the UN system and have served on missions or the UN Department of Peacekeeping but also veterans UN mentors, veteran peacekeepers, subject matter experts from UN agencies e.g. UN OCHA, UN Women, UNDP, UNHCR and international organizations such as ICRC.

d.            Department of PKT organizes six courses annually with varying scope:-

                                  (1)        Senior Leadership Course.

                                  (2)        Contingent Commander Course

                                  (3)        Military Observers Course

                                  (4)        Staff Officers Course

                                  (5)        Logistic Officers Course.

                                  (6)        Train the Trainers Course for Contingent‘s Pre-deployment Training.

8.            It is worth mentioning that ITS / DPKO/ UN Sectt New York has officially recognised UNMOC, which was attended by officers from friendly countries as well. More courses will be recognised this year.

9.            CIPS has also organized a number of international and national conferences, seminars and workshops. This includes a joint seminar with German UN Peacekeeping Centre during December 2014. CIPS has also sent its members to attend international conferences on peacekeeping, to learn and share international best practices. This includes inter alia the international platforms such as International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC), Association of Asia Pacific Peacekeeping Training Centres (AAPTC), Ex Viking 14 and Challenges Forum.