WASHINGTON: Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir engaged in discussions with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on Thursday, addressing topics such as regional security, defense cooperation, and other critical issues.
Gen Munir also met with acting Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland and Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer during his visit to the US Department of State.
A spokesperson from the US State Department acknowledged Pakistan’s significance as a partner and expressed anticipation for continued collaboration on regional security and defense cooperation. The discussions covered the “full spectrum of bilateral relations and the regional situation,” according to a diplomatic source.
Earlier, Gen Munir met with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, where they discussed recent regional security developments and potential areas for bilateral defense cooperation.
When asked about the possibility of drone strikes to counter terrorists attacking within Pakistan, the US State Department Spokesperson emphasized the intention to partner with Pakistan on regional security and defense but did not provide specific details about drones.
A report from Foreign Policy highlighted Gen Munir’s visit against the backdrop of an unsettled US-Pakistan relationship, following the departure of US forces from Afghanistan in 2021.
The report speculated that Gen Munir, driven by economic concerns, sought friendly relations with Washington, considering the US as Pakistan’s top export destination and a crucial aid source. The discussions during the visit could cover shared security concerns, global conflicts, and non-security issues like humanitarian aid in Afghanistan.
The report suggested that Gen Munir’s emphasis on warm officer-to-officer relations, a legacy of US-Pakistan education and training exchanges, might influence the trajectory of bilateral ties. The meetings with key US officials were deemed crucial in shaping the complex nature of US-Pakistan relations.
