Daijiworld Media Network – Washington
Washington, Jun 18: In a significant diplomatic development that could reshape strategic equations in South Asia and the Middle East, United States President Donald Trump is all set to host Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, General Syed Asim Munir, for an exclusive luncheon meeting at the White House on Wednesday. The meeting, scheduled for 1:00 PM local time, comes at a time of heightened geopolitical tension following the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran.
General Munir, who arrived in Washington on a five-day official visit, is expected to engage in high-level talks aimed at reinforcing bilateral military cooperation and aligning regional security strategies. His trip to the US is marked by both diplomatic outreach and controversy, especially after the White House recently clarified that the Pakistani Army Chief had not been invited to the US Army’s 250th anniversary parade held on June 14.
Nevertheless, the scheduled meeting with President Trump indicates a thaw in optics and possibly an urgency to recalibrate defence strategies, particularly as the United States looks toward Pakistan’s geographical importance. Given that Pakistan shares a porous border with Iran, the current regional unrest has thrown Pakistan into the spotlight once again. The closure of multiple Pakistan-Iran border routes, including Gabd-Rimdan and Taftan, has already begun affecting border communities, with reports of food and fuel shortages emerging from Balochistan.
The Pakistan Army Chief’s visit, though officially described as bilateral and focused on defence cooperation, has not gone unnoticed by the Pakistani diaspora in the United States.
Protesters, particularly supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan, staged intense demonstrations outside the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, where General Munir is staying. Holding placards and raising slogans such as “Asim Munir, you are a coward,” “shame on you,” and “Pakistaniyon ke Kaatil (Killer of Pakistanis),” the demonstrators accused him of authoritarianism and stifling democratic voices in Pakistan.
General Munir is also expected to hold meetings with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during his visit. His trip marks the first high-level military engagement between Pakistan and the United States following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in India on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. Tensions between India and Pakistan had sharply risen after the incident, before Islamabad reached out with a ceasefire proposal. While President Trump had publicly claimed that trade leverage was used to broker the truce, Indian authorities categorically denied any external mediation.
With both Iran and Israel on high alert and the US exploring deeper strategic options in the region, the significance of Munir’s meeting with President Trump cannot be understated. As Pakistan finds itself once again at the centre of a shifting global order, all eyes will be on what transpires behind the scenes at the White House today.