COAS Asim Munir Arrives in Washington to Strengthen US-Pakistan Military Ties

Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, arrived in Washington on Sunday for a five-day official visit aimed at deepening military and strategic cooperation between Pakistan and the United States. According to diplomatic sources, the visit is “primarily bilateral” and not officially linked to the US Army’s 250th anniversary, despite the timing.

Unconfirmed reports suggest the COAS spent two days at US Central Command in Tampa, Florida, but the Pakistani embassy has neither confirmed nor denied this.

Meetings with top-level US officials, including the Secretaries of Defense and State and senior military commanders, are expected. The visit comes at a sensitive moment amid rising Middle East tensions following Israeli airstrikes on Iran.

Meanwhile, supporters of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) staged a protest outside the Pakistani embassy in Washington, calling for the restoration of “unfettered democracy” in Pakistan. They linked their protest to the army chief’s presence in the US capital.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst, noted that the visit occurs at a diplomatically challenging time. Pakistan is aligning closer to Iran, while the US remains a key ally of Israel. “This could lead to uncomfortable conversations,” he remarked.

Shuja Nawaz of the Atlantic Council pointed to a regional imbalance in US policy: “The US sees Pakistan as useful for counterterrorism but prefers India for trade and defense partnerships.”

Despite the challenges, the COAS’s visit is viewed as a strategic step toward reinforcing Pakistan’s security dialogue with Washington, particularly in counterterrorism cooperation and regional stability.