ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, met with US President Donald J. Trump at the White House in a high-level engagement that began with a luncheon in the Cabinet Room and continued with a visit to the Oval Office.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), President Trump was accompanied by Secretary of State Senator Marco Rubio, and Steve Witkoff, the US Special Representative for Middle Eastern Affairs. Field Marshal Asim Munir was joined in by Pakistan’s National Security Advisor.
During the meeting, the Chief of Army Staff conveyed the deep appreciation of the Government and people of Pakistan for President Trump’s constructive and result-oriented role in facilitating a ceasefire between Pakistan and India in the recent regional crisis.
Trump praises Field Marshal over ceasefire with India
The COAS acknowledged President Trump’s statesmanship and his ability to comprehend and address the multifaceted challenges faced by the global community.
President Trump, in turn, lauded Pakistan’s ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability and appreciated the robust counter-terrorism cooperation between the two states. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration in the field of counter-terrorism.
Discussions also encompassed avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation in multiple domains including trade, economic development, mines and minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrency, and emerging technologies. President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests.
A detailed exchange of views also took place on the prevailing tensions between Iran and Israel, with both leaders emphasizing the importance of resolution of the conflict.
President Trump commended Field Marshal Asim Munir’s leadership and decisiveness during a period of complex regional dynamics. In a gesture reflecting the warmth of bilateral ties, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir extended an invitation to President Trump, on behalf of the Government of Pakistan, to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at a mutually convenient date.
Although initially scheduled for one hour, the meeting extended for over two hours, underscoring the depth and cordiality of the dialogue.
Reuters adds: Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and US President Donald Trump discussed trade, economic development, and cryptocurrency during their meeting at the White House, the Pakistan army said.
“President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests,” the army said in a statement on Thursday.
Munir and Trump also exchanged views on prevailing tensions between Israel and Iran, the statement added.
Reuters adds: Separatist and jihadist militants on the Pakistan-Iran border could take advantage of any collapse of authority in Iran, fears that army chief pressed in a meeting this week with the US President Donald Trump. Anti-Iranian and anti-Pakistan outfits operate on both sides of the 560-mile (900km) long border. As Israel bombs Iran’s nuclear program, its officials have repeatedly indicated that they are seeking to destabilize the Iranian government or see it toppled.
As well as worrying about chaos spilling over from Iran, Pakistan is concerned about the precedent set by Israel of attacking the nuclear installations of another country. Nuclear-armed rivals Pakistan and India fought a four-day conflict in May.
Following a Wednesday lunch at the White House with army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, Trump said: “They’re not happy about anything”, referring to Pakistan’s views on the Israel-Iran conflict. Pakistan’s military said on Thursday that the two had discussed Iran, “with both leaders emphasizing the importance of resolution of the conflict”.
Pakistan has condemned Israel’s attack on Iran as a violation of international law. “This is for us a very serious issue what is happening in our brotherly country of Iran,” Shafqat Ali Khan, spokesman for Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Thursday. “It imperils the entire regional security structures, it impacts us deeply.”
Some of the militant groups on the border have welcomed the upheaval. Jaish al-Adl (JaA), an Iranian jihadist group formed from Baloch and Sunni Muslim minorities and which operates from Pakistan, said Israel’s conflict with Iran was a great opportunity.
“Jaish al-Adl extends the hand of brotherhood and friendship to all the people of Iran and calls on all people, especially the people of Balochistan, as well as the armed forces, to join the ranks of the Resistance,” the group said in a statement on June 13.
Conversely, Pakistan fears that separatist militants from its own Baloch minority, which are based in Iran, will also seek to step up attacks.
“There’s a fear of ungoverned spaces, which would be fertile ground for terrorist groups,” said Maleeha Lodhi, a former ambassador to Washington.
Pakistan has unstable borders with Taliban-run Afghanistan and arch-rival India. It does not want to add another volatile frontier on its long border with Iran.
The Iran-Pakistan border region is populated with Baloch who have long complained about discrimination and launched separatist movements. On Pakistan’s side, the region is a province called Balochistan and in Iran it is Sistan-Baluchistan.
Until Israel’s bombing of Iran, Tehran was closer to Pakistan’s arch-rival India. Pakistan and Iran had even traded air strikes last year, accusing each other of harbouring Baloch militants. But the attack on Iran has upended alliances, as India has not condemned Israel’s bombing campaign.
China has also said that it is deeply concerned about the security situation in Balochistan, with the area being a focus of Beijing’s multi-billion dollar infrastructure investment program in Pakistan, centred on the new Chinese-run port of Gwadar. Baloch militant groups in Pakistan have previously targeted Chinese personnel and projects.
On Iranian side of the border, Tehran has at different times accused Pakistan, Gulf nations, Israel and the United States of backing the anti-Iran Baloch groups.
Simbal Khan, an analyst based in Islamabad, said the different Baloch groups could morph into a “greater Balochistan” movement which seeks to carve out a new nation from the Baloch areas of Pakistan and Iran.
“They’re all going to fight together if this blows up,” said Khan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Comments
Comments are closed.