Trump to meet Pakistan's Munir; protesters call him 'dictator'; Iran ties in focus
US President Donald Trump is expected to hold a private lunch meeting on Wednesday with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to the official White House schedule.
The meeting comes at a tense moment both globally and domestically for Munir. His visit to Washington has already drawn protests from overseas Pakistanis, many of them aligned with former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. Demonstrators gathered outside the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, DC, chanting slogans such as 'Pakistanio ke Qatil' (murderer of Pakistanis) and 'Islamabad ke Qatil,' while waving placards calling Munir a 'mass murderer.
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One viral clip showed a protester outside the hotel shouting, 'Democracy dies when guns speak!' and 'You're a dictator!' The man, believed to be a Pakistani-American activist, added: 'You're hiding inside. I'm on public property—I have freedom!'
PTI USA also circulated the protest videos, claiming it was a reminder to Munir of his alleged 'crimes against the people of Pakistan.'
The backlash stems largely from Munir's crackdown on the PTI and its supporters following Khan's ouster and imprisonment.
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Many protesters accuse him of imposing military control under the guise of civilian rule. 'Munir has turned Pakistan into a military dictatorship cloaked in civilian rule,' a PTI USA statement said.
While the US Central Command reportedly invited Munir to Washington, the White House has distanced itself from the visit.
Munir was recently promoted to the rank of Field Marshal by Pakistan's federal cabinet—the second person in Pakistan's history to receive the title after Ayub Khan.
The move came despite military setbacks with India, though Pakistan's government praised Munir's leadership in what it called a 'historic victory.'
Adding to the complexity, Munir has voiced support for Iran amid rising tensions in West Asia. In a speech in Washington, he said Pakistan stood with Iran and hoped the conflict would end soon. This position stands in contrast to Trump's recent declarations on Truth Social, where he demanded Iran's 'unconditional surrender' and claimed 'complete and total control of the skies over Iran.'
Trump has also doubled down on backing Israel, making the upcoming lunch with Munir diplomatically delicate at a time when alliances are under strain.
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