Latest news with #AsimMunir
India Today
3 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
Trump, Munir & a secret Iran war plan?
As bombs rained on Iran, Trump hosted Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir at the White House. Defence expert Sandeep Unnithan says this may be part of Trump's strategy to keep Pakistan out of the conflict or to use its airspace if needed. Meanwhile, Trump eyes a 'quick win' trade deal with India to flaunt global leadership. What does Munir want and what does Trump really gain? Watch the video to learn more. #Trump #AsimMunir #IranIsrael #PakistanArmy #WhiteHouse #USPakistan #IndiaUSTrade #Geopolitics #MiddleEastTensions #DealMakerTrump
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Congress calls Trump's lunch with Pahalgam attack ‘mastermind' a blow to Indian diplomacy
New Delhi: Congress termed President Trump meeting Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir a huge blow to Indian diplomacy , saying Munir was the mastermind of the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed many Indian civilians. "Field Marshal Asim Munir is not the head of state or head of government of Pakistan. He is the chief of army staff. Yet he gets invited by President Trump for lunch and receives much praise," Congress spokesman Jairam Ramesh said on Thursday. "This is the same man whose atrocious and inflammatory remarks formed the immediate backdrop to the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks orchestrated by the establishment over which he presides. It is a huge blow to Indian diplomacy." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Experts Urge Seniors With Muscle Loss To Take This Key Nutrient Daily Native Creatine Learn More Undo Congress also referred to Trump repeating his claim about clinching the India-Pakistan ceasefire , a day after the government said the PM had told the US President that there had been no US mediation behind the ceasefire, and demanded that the PM publicly refute it. "Trump is making these claims himself... He is making them repeatedly... It is the PM who must refute these claims and he must do so publicly," said Pawan Khera , another Congress spokesman. Live Events
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
As US weighs Iran strike, Pakistan tries to recast itself as anti-terror ally — and India is watching closely
New Delhi: India is watching closely as Pakistan tries to reinvent itself as a victim of terrorism and is seeking to find a place as a key actor against extremism and a possible ally to the US in the conflict with Iran. By several accounts, the meeting between Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir and US President Donald Trump lasted almost three hours, extending beyond the one hour allocated, and included key US administration advisors for West Asia. The growing conflict in the region - with the attack on Iranian nuclear facilities by Israel overshadowing other issues and increasingly pointing towards a US intervention - has placed Pakistan in an advantageous position that it will try to leverage, people tracking the situation say. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Új nyári női ortopéd szandálok 2025-re! Vásárolj most At the core of Pakistani moves, sources feel, is an attempt to rebrand itself from a fountainhead of terrorism to a victim that is seeking Western help to counter outfits that present threats to the West. This is an old plot that Pakistan has successfully played against the West in the past before the discovery of Osama Bin Laden at Abbottabad and the subsequent distancing of the US administration and pulling back of military aid. A renewed attempt is being made, with the Iran crisis coming at a particularly fortunate time for Pakistan as the US looks for allies who can pressurise Tehran and provide support in case American forces decide to enter the battlefield. Sources said Pakistan has managed to find some success in getting to Washington DC by exploiting the gap in the Pentagon that exists due to the structuring of its military commands across the world. The US Central Command (CENTCOM), which deals with Pakistan, is at the centre of action right now due to the troubles in West Asia. Live Events The Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) which deals with India and China was earlier more central to decision-making and planning in Washington DC. Its views of Pakistan as a close partner of China, increasingly dependent on Beijing for military equipment, training and intelligence, were a counter to the CENTCOM's motives of using Pakistani support for anti-terror operations in its area of responsibility. Sources said Pakistan is likely to use the situation to play the US against China, though in the long term it will remain dependent on Beijing for weapons, training and funding. The worry is, that in the short run, Pakistan may bargain to get access to US equipment and technology in the garb of fighting terror. It has been seen in the past, including when India attacked terror camps in Balakot in 2019, that equipment provided to Pakistan to fight terrorism were used against India. Also at stake for India will be the partnership with the US that has been growing in the military sphere and includes plans to co-develop cutting edge weapon systems. India has been increasing its dependence on the US for critical defence equipment, including engines for indigenous LCAs, maritime surveillance equipment and satellite imagery. The difference is that while India is seeking technology and equipment from the US to counter an increasingly aggressive China, Pakistan may try to seek the same against India, in the garb of fighting terrorism.
News18
4 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Spooked Asim Munir Confides In Trump His Fear Of A Baloch Uprising Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Last Updated: Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir confided in Donald Trump that he fears rebel groups in both Iran and Pakistan could unite amid Iran-Israel war. Pakistan's army chief Asim Munir appeared spooked about prospects of an uprising led by separatist and jihadist militants along the Pakistan-Iran border amid the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict and has confided in US President Donald Trump of his fears, a report by news agency Reuters said. Munir met US President Donald Trump this week in the White House. The report by Reuters pointed out that anti-Iranian and anti-Pakistan outfits operate on both sides of the 560-mile (900km) long border. As Israel bombs Iran's nuclear program, its officials have repeatedly indicated that they are seeking to destabilize the Iranian government or see it toppled. 'They're not happy about anything," Donald Trump said, referring to Pakistan's views on the Israel-Iran conflict. He made the comments following a Wednesday lunch at the White House with Munir, who on May 27 had met Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. As well as worrying about chaos spilling over from Iran, Pakistan is concerned about the precedent set by Israel of attacking the nuclear installations of another country. India recently targeted Pakistani airbases after Pakistani Army intervened on behalf of terrorists when India struck their hideouts deep inside Pakistan to retaliate against the killing of innocent civilians in April 22 in Pahalgam. Pakistan has condemned Israel's attack on Iran as a violation of international law. 'This is for us a very serious issue what is happening in our brotherly country of Iran. It imperils the entire regional security structures, it impacts us deeply," Shafqat Ali Khan, spokesman for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Thursday. Some of the militant groups on the border have welcomed the upheaval. Jaish al-Adl (JaA), an Iranian jihadist group formed from ethnic Baloch and Sunni Muslim minorities and which operates from Pakistan, said Israel's conflict with Iran was a great opportunity. 'Jaish al-Adl extends the hand of brotherhood and friendship to all the people of Iran and calls on all people, especially the people of Baluchistan, as well as the armed forces, to join the ranks of the Resistance," the group said in a statement on June 13, according to the news agency. Conversely, Pakistan fears that separatist militants from its own Baloch minority, which are based in Iran, will also seek to step up attacks. 'There's a fear of ungoverned spaces, which would be fertile ground for terrorist groups," said Maleeha Lodhi, a former Pakistani ambassador to Washington, was quoted as saying by the news agency. Countries surrounding Pakistan face border issues because of Pakistan's support to an array of terrorist groups which pose a threat to the safety and security of those countries. Pakistan's support for terror groups, who also pose a threat to Islamabad itself, is a cause for concern for India, Iran and Afghanistan. The Iran-Pakistan border region is populated with ethnic Baloch, a minority in both countries who have long complained about discrimination and launched separatist movements. On Pakistan's side, the region is a province called Balochistan and in Iran it is Sistan-Balochistan. Pakistan and Iran had even traded air strikes last year, accusing each other of harboring Baloch militants. China has also said that it is deeply concerned about the security situation in Balochistan, with the area being a focus of Beijing's multi-billion dollar infrastructure investment program in Pakistan, centred on the new Chinese-run port of Gwadar. Baloch militant groups in Pakistan have previously targeted Chinese personnel and projects. On Iranian side of the border, Tehran has at different times accused Pakistan, Gulf nations, Israel and the United States of backing the anti-Iran Baloch groups. Simbal Khan, an analyst based in Islamabad, told the news agency that different Baloch groups could morph into a 'greater Baluchistan" movement which seeks to carve out a new nation from the Baluch areas of Pakistan and Iran. 'They're all going to fight together if this blows up," said Khan. First Published: June 19, 2025, 23:36 IST News world Spooked Asim Munir Confides In Trump His Fear Of A Baloch Uprising Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Civil–military unity behind improved US engagement, says Khawaja Asif
Listen to article Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has termed Civil–military unity behind improved US engagement as he described the meeting between Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and US President Donald Trump as a 'milestone' in the history of Pakistan–US relations. Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir held a one-on-one meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House over lunch on Wednesday. During the two-hour meeting, the two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, focusing on expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrency, and emerging technologies. They also exchanged views on regional security matters, including counter-terrorism efforts, the recent ceasefire between Pakistan and India, and rising tensions in the Middle East. فیلڈ مارشل عاصم منیر اور صدر ٹرمپ کی ملاقات پاک امریکہ تعلقات میں ایک سنگ میل ھے۔ اس سے پہلے امریکہ صدر کی پاکستانی آرمی چیف کی دعوت اور ملاقات کی مثال نہیں یہ تعلقات کی 78سال کی تاریخ سب سے اھم موڑ ھے۔ اس ملاقات میں جسطرح بین الاقوامی اور خطہ کے معاملات زیر بحث آۓ اس سے وطنُ… — Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) June 19, 2025 In a statement posted on X, Asif said that never before in the 78-year diplomatic history of the two countries had a US president invited and met a Pakistani Army chief in this manner. 'This is a turning point in the 78-year history of our relations,' he said. 'The way regional and international issues were discussed during this meeting highlighted Pakistan's strategic importance. Our role in resolving global matters was acknowledged.' According to Asif, the discussion also brought renewed international attention to the longstanding India–Pakistan disputes, particularly the situation in Kashmir. 'This is the success of the current hybrid model of governance,' he added, referring to the political-military coordination under PM Shehbaz Sharif and COAS Munir. 'The revival of the economy, India's diplomatic setbacks, and the dignified, successful improvement in relations with the United States — all these revolutionary changes have been made possible due to the strong coordination between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.' Read More: Trump calls meeting COAS Munir an honour at White House luncheon US President Donald Trump called his meeting with COAS Munir 'an honour' after a luncheon held at the White House on Wednesday. Speaking to the media after the event, Trump extended his gratitude to Pakistan's military chief for visiting and acknowledged the army chief's role in helping avert further military escalation with India. 'It is an honour for me to meet Asim Munir,' Trump said. 'I invited him to thank him for not going to war. He deserves appreciation for helping secure the ceasefire.' 'Pakistan and India are both nuclear powers,' the US president said. 'We're in talks with Pakistan on a trade agreement. The leadership of both nations is truly remarkable.'
