Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Sunday left for the United States on an official visit, according to the military’s media affairs wing.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said this was COAS Munir’s first visit to the US as the army chief. “During his visit, Gen Munir is scheduled to meet the senior military and other government officials of USA,” the ISPR said. In October, the army chief and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin had held a telephone conversation and discussed “areas of mutual interest as well as recent regional developments”.
In July, US Central Command (Centcom) chief General Michael Erik Kurilla had called on the COAS in Rawalpindi and recognised Pakistan’s “continued efforts” for bringing peace and stability to the region. The visit comes a day after United States threw its weight behind Pakistan in the wake of renewed threat posed by banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as the key aide of President Biden has said his country stands with Pakistan. The support from the US came at a time when Pakistan is grappling with increased terrorist attacks being perpetrated by the TTP from across the border in Afghanistan. US special Representative for Afghanistan Tom West flew to Pakistan earlier this week and held talks with Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir and other officials.
Before wrapping up his three-day visit, the US pointman for Afghanistan on Saturday in a statement acknowledged the “grave threat” posed by the TTP to Pakistan. “Departing Islamabad after productive two-day visit. Important conversations with [Caretaker Foreign Minister] Jalil Jilani, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, and Asif Durrani[Pakistan’s Special Representative to Afghanistan], and MOI Secretary Durrani about grave security challenges posed by TTP as well as imperative to protect Afghan refugees,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “The United States stands with Pakistan against terrorism in the region,” he added. Official sources said the US special envoy assured all out support to Pakistan to deal with the TTP threat.
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