WASHINGTON: Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir commenced his first working day in Washington on Wednesday with a meeting with the US defence secretary at the Pentagon.

The Pentagon issued a brief statement after the meeting, saying: “Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir at the Pentagon today, where the two officials discussed recent regional security developments and potential areas for bilateral defence cooperation.”

Gen Munir, who left Islamabad on Sunday, reached the US capital on Tuesday afternoon after spending two days in Britain. Details of his engagements in the UK have not been made public, as it was apparently a private visit.

COAS also expected to meet Secretary Blinken, NSA Sullivan

The army chief’s visit was also discussed at a Pentagon briefing on Tuesday, where a journalist reminded press secretary Maj Gen Patrick Ryder that Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin would have his first face-to-face meeting with Pakistan’s new army chief and asked what the US defence chief was looking for in this meeting.

“Will they be talking about the deportation of Afghans from Pakistan or potentially buying munitions to go to Ukraine?” the journalist asked.

Gen Ryder replied, “I don’t have any meetings to read out from the podium. Certainly, as you know, when the secretary meets with foreign counterparts and leaders, we provide a readout. So if we have a readout to put out, we’ll certainly do that.”

Another journalist asked, “How would you assess US-Pakistan military relations at this point?”

Gen Ryder said, “Pakistan continues to be an important partner in the region. And so obviously, through Centcom, we continue to stay in close contact with them, particularly when it comes to issues like counter-terrorism.”

Besides the defence secretary, Gen Munir is also expected to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

He may also meet senior members of the US House and the Senate.

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2023