Ends-Based vs. Rules-Based Decisions in Pakistan

The Republic of Pakistan is the state that has contributed most to UN Peacekeeping Missions, having participated in 28 missions since 1962. Pakistan also received assistance from Peacekeeping missions following the Indo-Pakistan war.

Pakistan’s decision to participate in peacekeeping missions can be seen as both ends-based and rules-based. It is rules-based because when seeing a country in need of assistance, Pakistan is usually the first one to step up and provide assistance. However, the majority of Pakistan’s decisions to become involved in these missions have been ends-based. It is the military-operational benefits that come in participating in a UN Peacekeeping Mission that ultimately drives Pakistan to continue to fight for the moral issues of other states.

With 8544 personnel having been deployed in various states, Pakistan ranks highest as a participator. The other top five contributors are Bangladesh, Nigeria, Ghana, and India. All five of these states are considered developing nations, which causes one to ask, why do developing nations help more in peacekeeping in other countries? However, by participating in these operations, the states that contribute most also gain the most. Looking at the situation from a present view, it would seem as if the state participating loses. As developing nations, these states need to maintain their operational armies, and by deploying the amount of troops that they do, they lessen their own defence within their state. But in the end, the state prospers because of their involvement. This is why it is a ends-based decision. At the time, Pakistan may suffer with so many of their troops abroad, but while abroad they “learn new techniques of planning; logistics and communications skills; command and control structures; methods of coordination and use state of the art weaponry and machinery. This military training and exposure has proved to be invaluable to the Pakistan Army. President General Pervez Musharraf in an interview said; ‘we would like to contribute as many troops as possible anywhere in the world.’” (http://www.issi.org.pk/journal/2004_files/no_3/article/3a.htm).