The United Nations will temporarily relocate about 20 per cent of its international staff in Pakistan following a string of terrorist attacks that killed at least 11 of its employees last year.<br/><br/>The move, which was in the offing for some time, was confirmed by UN spokesperson Ishrat Rizvi. It comes in the wake of the UN's decision to suspend long-term development work in militancy-hit areas in northwest Pakistan. Rizvi said some international staff will be relocated to safer locations both within Pakistan and outside the country. This will involve about 20 per cent of the UN’s international workers. After six months, the UN will conduct a review and decide whether to bring back the international staff.<br/><br/>Five employees of the UN World Food Programme were killed when a suicide bomber disguised as a paramilitary trooper struck an office in Islamabad in October last year. Five staff members of UN agencies were among 17 people killed in a suicide attack on a five-star hotel in Peshawar in June. Over the past few months, UN agencies have suspended their activities in Pakistan’s northwest on several occasions.