ISLAMABAD – Field Marshal Asim Munir, the head of Pakistan’s army, is going to the United States for the second time in two months. The journey is supposedly a show of goodwill, as Munir is said to have gone to Tampa, Florida, to say goodbye to General Michael Kurilla, the chief of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Last month, Kurilla received one of Pakistan’s highest medals for his work to boost defense ties. He has been a strong admirer of Pakistan and recently called it a “phenomenal partner” in the fight against terrorism.
This visit comes at a very delicate time for South Asia. After a series of military clashes in May, tensions between India and Pakistan are still high. The fight started after a terrorist strike in Pahalgam in April. India started “Operation Sindoor” to eliminate terrorist strongholds in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Pakistan’s Punjab region. Pakistan retaliated with its own actions, which led to a four-day war that was the most significant military crisis between the two nuclear-armed countries in decades.
President Donald Trump has said many times since then that he helped bring about the ceasefire. He had Munir over for lunch at the White House in June. He had actually commended Munir for helping to calm the situation down. India, on the other hand, has always said that no foreign entity has any say over its foreign policy decisions, including the ceasefire. Munir’s visits and the cordial welcome he received in Washington have made New Delhi even more worried that past tensions between the U.S. and Pakistan are coming back, especially because of the ongoing trade tariff issue.
The Trump administration has put a total of 50% tariffs on Indian commodities. The White House says this is because India sells oil to Russia. This has caused a clear cooling in U.S.-India relations, and Indian politicians and pundits are openly wondering what will happen to the strategic relationship in the future. Trump has also offered Pakistan a better tariff rate and even suggested that the U.S. help Pakistan exploit its “massive oil reserves.”
The visit is very important for Pakistan since it would help the country strengthen its diplomatic and military position in the world. Many people think that Munir is the real ruler of Pakistan. His high-level meetings in Washington without any civilian leaders have made the military’s control over the country’s diplomatic and economic affairs even stronger. The visit also comes at a time when there is a lot of political unrest at home. Supporters of the imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan are protesting in the U.S. and Europe, saying that the military is creating a “civilian façade” to hide its authority.