Latest news with #PakistanArmy
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Huge blow to diplomacy: Cong on Trump-Munir lunch
The Congress on Thursday attacked the government after US President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir for lunch, saying it is a 'huge blow' to Indian diplomacy. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said Field Marshal Asim Munir is not the Head of State or Head of government of Pakistan and is the Chief of Army Staff, yet he gets invited by Trump for lunch and receives much praise. '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,' Ramesh said on X. 'It is a huge blow to Indian diplomacy (and huglomacy too),' he said, taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress has been taking swipes at Modi, giving 'hugs' to foreign heads of state during his meetingas with them at international or bilateral engagements, using the term 'huglomacy' for it. Meanwhile, Trump has said the two very smart leaders of India and Pakistan decided not to continue a war that could have turned nuclear, a first in weeks, he did not claim credit for stopping hostilities between the two neighbouring nations. Trump made the remarks while speaking to the media in the Oval Office after hosting Munir for lunch at the White House. Trump also said he was honoured to meet Munir. When asked if Iran was discussed in his meeting with Munir, Trump said: Well, they know Iran very well, better than most, and they're not happy about anything. It's not that they're bad with Israel. They know them both, actually, but they probably, maybe they know Iran better, but they see what's going on, and he agreed with me. 'The reason I had him here, I want to thank him for not going into the war, ending the war. And I want to thank, as you know, Prime Minister Modi just left a little while ago, and we're working on a trade deal with India. We're working on a trade deal with Pakistan,' the president said. 'They were both here, but I was with Modi a few weeks ago. He was here actually, but now we speak to him. And I'm so happy that two smart people, plus you know, people on their staff too, but two smart people, two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war,' he said.
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan's defense minister says hybrid model ‘doing wonders' as army chief on solo US visit
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's defense minister has described the country's governance as a 'hybrid model' in which military and civilian leaders share power — an open secret in political circles but a rare public admission by a serving official that has taken on added significance amid the army chief's solo visit to the United States and an unprecedented meeting with President Donald Trump. Officials have presented Field Marshal Asim Munir's trip as an effort to bolster security ties with Washington, particularly in light of last month's military standoff with India and escalating hostilities in the Middle East. But the army chief's meeting with Trump — without Pakistan's prime minister or foreign minister present — has also drawn renewed attention to how much Islamabad relies on its army to handle high-stakes foreign relations, economic ties and sensitive regional issues. The chief's visit comes on the heels of the most serious clash in years between nuclear-armed Pakistan and India in which they exchanged drone, missile and artillery fire until a ceasefire brokered by Washington on May 10 brought an end to hostilities. Pakistan has declared victory in the confrontation, saying it downed six Indian fighter jets and struck military facilities. Munir's leadership during the crisis has won him a rare promotion to field marshal and broad public support, reinforcing the military's standing as one of the country's most influential institutions despite past criticism of its outsized role in politics. In an interview this week conducted as the army chief visited the United States for talks with Trump, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif acknowledged that the military's prestige had 'skyrocketed' after the conflict with India, calling it a 'blessing in disguise,' but rejected that this would erode democratic authority or give the army unchecked control. 'No, it doesn't worry me,' he told Arab News when asked if Pakistan's history of direct and indirect military rule made him uneasy about the army's stronger image. 'This is a hybrid model. It's not an ideal democratic government … So, this arrangement, the hybrid arrangement, I think [it] is doing wonders,' Asif said, adding that the system was a practical necessity until Pakistan was 'out of the woods as far as economic and governance problems are concerned.' The long-running political instability and behind-the-scenes military influence in earlier decades had slowed democratic development, the defense chief argued, but the current arrangement had improved coordination. Pakistan's military has played a central role in national affairs since independence in 1947, including periods of direct rule after coups in 1958, 1977 and 1999, when General Pervez Musharraf toppled then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is the elder brother of current Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. Musharraf ruled until 2008 when elections restored civilian governance. Even under elected governments, however, the army is widely considered the invisible guiding hand in politics and in shaping foreign policy, security strategy, and often key aspects of governance. 'If this sort of [hybrid] model was adopted way back in the 90s, things would have been much, much better,' Asif said, 'because the confrontation between [military] establishment and the political government, it actually retarded the progress of our democracy.' By contrast, he said, the current 'de facto' hybrid arrangement had brought the army and elected leaders together on joint forums such as the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a civil-military body tasked with setting and managing economic priorities jointly and overseeing big-ticket investments and trade reforms. 'We have common platforms, like SIFC and other platforms, where military leadership and civilian leadership, they sit together and decide about the business,' Asif said. 'So, this is something which is a de facto arrangement and it's working very well.' The military's media wing did not respond to a request for comments. 'TOTAL AGREEMENT' Asif's remarks about power-sharing with the army on an ever-expanding policy portfolio appear particularly relevant after Munir's rare White House meeting with Trump on Wednesday, the first time in years that a Pakistani army chief was received by a sitting US president without civilian leadership present. Munir was accompanied by National Security Adviser Lt Gen Muhammad Asim Malik, Pakistan's serving intelligence chief who now also holds the national security portfolio. This too is a first for the country: that a sitting ISI director general is serving as NSA. According to a statement from ISPR, the military's public relations wing, the Munir-Trump meeting lasted two hours instead of the scheduled one, and covered not only security cooperation and the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict but also wider collaboration in 'trade, economic development, mines and minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrency, and emerging technologies.' These are areas traditionally handled by civilian ministries. While independent analysts say this reflects the military's increasingly visible role in economic and financial initiatives and could permanently weaken civilian supremacy in these domains, Asif insisted PM Sharif remained firmly in charge of key decisions: 'It's something mutual, we have a co-ownership of the power structure … 'There is no superimposed system or superimposed organization on Shehbaz Sharif which dictates him and he acts accordingly … [He] is making his decisions independently and obviously he is in regular consultation with the establishment on all levels.' But were there 'crisis moments' in the relationships when the prime minister had not prevailed over the army chief in decision-making? Asif responded: 'Believe me, very honestly, we haven't had any moment where decisions were not made unanimously with total agreement. Things are moving very smoothly. And god willing, one day we will achieve the sort of democracy which is needed by our country.'
Business Recorder
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
DG ISPR holds interactive session with Saylani IT Programme students
ISLAMABAD: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif held a special interactive session with students of the Saylani IT Programme in Karachi, where he was warmly welcomed by the young participants. During the engaging session, students asked the DG ISPR a wide range of questions concerning Pakistan's internal and external security landscape as well as the broader regional and global dynamics. Speaking on the occasion, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif emphasised Pakistan's commitment to peace, stating, 'The success of Operation Bunyan al-Marsus is a triumph of peace. Pakistan has always preferred peace over war.' He further lauded the students for their awareness and engagement, saying, 'You are the vanguard in the Information warfare battlefield. Your role in defending Pakistan's narrative is invaluable.' Highlighting the strength of the armed forces, the DG ISPR stated, 'Pakistan's military is an organized and professional institution, which performs its duties in strict accordance with the Constitution and directives of the state.' He reiterated that Pakistan will continue playing its role as a net regional stabiliser and will always stand firm in safeguarding its sovereignty and regional peace. The students, in turn, expressed their commitment to stand with the armed forces, declaring, 'We are ready to make every sacrifice for the protection of our homeland, on any front where the Pakistan Army needs us.' They described the session as insightful and appreciated the DG ISPR's candid interaction, urging that such engagements continue in the future. 'The Pakistan Armed Forces are our identity, and we, the people, are their real strength,' the students remarked. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Trump drops claim of brokering India-Pakistan peace
US President Donald Trump , for the first time, refrained from claiming credit for ending the recent India-Pakistan conflict, saying instead two 'very smart' leaders — Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir — had 'decided' not to pursue war. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after hosting Munir for lunch on Wednesday, Trump also said they discussed the Iran situation, indicating that the US and Pakistan could collaborate on Persian Gulf region matters amid escalating Iran-Israel conflict. 'The reason I had him here was I wanted to thank him for not going into the war (with India) and ending the war,' Trump said. 'I am so happy. Two smart people, two very smart people, decided not to keep going with the war. Those are two big nuclear powers.' Trump-Munir Meeting During a phone conversation with Trump on Tuesday, Modi made it clear that India has not accepted and will not accept any mediation in its dispute with Pakistan. Since May 10, when India and Pakistan agreed to stop the military conflict following India's Operation Sindoor strike, Trump has on multiple occasions claimed personal credit for brokering peace between the two nuclear power neighbours. India has maintained that the director generals of military operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan had reached an understanding to cease hostilities after Pakistan DGMO approached his Indian counterpart on May 10 and that no third party was involved. Live Events Wednesday marked the first meeting between a US president and the head of Pakistan's military in decades. It was held without accompanying senior civilian officials. Trump said he was 'honoured' to meet Munir. 'Prime minister Modi just left a little while ago, and we are working a trade deal with India,' he said. 'We are working a trade deal with Pakistan.' The Trump-Munir meeting has caused unease in India as it signals expansion of the US-Pakistan ties, with Washington overlooking New Delhi's contention that Islamabad sponsors cross-border terrorism. Trump, Munir Discuss Iran On discussing Iran with Munir, Trump said, 'They (Pakistan) know Iran very well…better than most, and they're not happy about anything. They see what's going on. And he agreed with me.' He did not elaborate. There have been reports that Pakistan may provide air space to the US military to strike Iran while many expected Munir to try to convince Trump not to enter Israel's war with Iran. On Monday, Pakistan's foreign minister Ishaq Dar had told parliament that Iran was willing to return to the negotiating table if Israel stopped further strikes. 'Our intention was always to see successful negotiations between the United States and Iran,' Dar had said, citing direct communication with his Iranian counterpart.
Indian Express
8 hours ago
- Business
- Indian Express
As US eyes its airspace, Pakistan confirms: Trump, Munir had discussion on Iran
As anticipated by Delhi, US President Donald Trump and Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir had a 'detailed exchange of views' on the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict when they met over lunch at the White House. In a statement Thursday, the Pakistan Army said, 'A detailed exchange of views also took place on the prevailing tensions between Iran and Israel, with both leaders emphasising the importance of resolution of the conflict.' Asked if Iran was discussed with Munir, Trump said: 'Well, they know Iran very well, better than most, and they are not happy about anything.' 'It's not that they are bad with Israel. They know them both, actually, but they probably, maybe they know Iran better, but they see what's going on, and he agreed with me,' he said. In Islamabad, the Pakistan Army said the US President showed 'keen interest' in developing a mutually beneficial trade relationship with Pakistan on the basis of long-term strategic interests. According to Delhi's assessment, the US is enlisting Rawalpindi's support since it would want to use Pakistan's airspace, air bases and other infrastructure for launching any military offensive on Iran. This was the key focus of Trump's lunch with Munir which, according to sources, lasted for about two hours, and not one hour as scheduled. According to news agency Reuters, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said Trump was hosting Munir after he called for the US President to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan. But sources indicated that the meeting was not arranged through routine diplomatic channels, and was the outcome of 'unorthodox efforts' by a group of advisers, businessmen and other influential figures. Sources said stronger counter-terrorism cooperation, engagement with crypto-linked influence networks, and targeted lobbying via Republican-aligned firms in Washington helped Pakistan secure the meeting. A source, who has been tracking the US-Pakistan relationship over decades, said, 'It is not rare but absolutely unprecedented for a military chief to be invited by a POTUS (President of the United States) for a meeting, let alone a meeting over a meal. All Pakistan military chiefs who visited the US and other capitals did so as Presidents.' In the past, US President George W Bush met Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf in 2004. Munir's US visit began last Sunday and was his second since he took over as military chief in 2022. Trump was effusive about both Munir and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said he was 'honoured' to meet Munir and that they discussed the situation arising out of the Iran-Israel conflict. 'The reason I had him here, I want to thank him for not going into the war, ending the war (with India). And I want to thank, as you know, Prime Minister Modi,' he said. 'We are working on a trade deal with India. We are working on a trade deal with Pakistan.' Trump also recalled his meeting with Modi at the White House in February. He said he was 'happy' that 'two very smart people decided not to keep going with that war'. 'That could have been a nuclear war. Those are two nuclear powers, big ones, big, big nuclear powers, and they decided (to end the conflict),' he said. The US President was accompanied at the meeting by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Special Representative for the Middle East Steve Witkoff. Munir was joined by Pakistan National Security Advisor Lt Gen Asim Malik, who is also head of the spy agency ISI. Earlier, in his phone conversation with Trump, Modi had told the President that India and Pakistan halted their military actions following direct talks between the two militaries without any mediation by the US. The Pakistan Army, in its statement on the Trump-Munir meeting, said, the 'Chief of Army Staff conveyed the deep appreciation of the government and people of Pakistan for President Trump's constructive and result-oriented role in facilitating a ceasefire between Pakistan and India in the recent regional crisis. The COAS acknowledged President Trump's statesmanship and his ability to comprehend and address the multifaceted challenges faced by the global community.' 'President Trump, in turn, lauded Pakistan's ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability, and appreciated the robust counter-terrorism cooperation between the two states. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continued collaboration in the field of counter-terrorism,' it said. 'Discussions also encompassed avenues for expanding bilateral cooperation in multiple domains including trade, economic development, mines and minerals, artificial intelligence, energy, cryptocurrency, and emerging technologies. President Trump expressed keen interest in forging a mutually beneficial trade partnership with Pakistan based on long-term strategic convergence and shared interests,' it said. 'In a gesture reflecting the warmth of bilateral ties, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir extended an invitation to President Trump, on behalf of the Government of Pakistan, to undertake an official visit to Pakistan at a mutually convenient date'
