Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir expected to visit US again, 2nd trip since Indo-Pak clash: Report

Islamabad: Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir is expected to visit the US this week for consultations with top American officials, his second trip to Washington since the four-day conflict with India, a media report said on Thursday.

In June, Munir travelled to the US on a rare five-day trip during which he attended a private luncheon with President Donald Trump. That meeting culminated in Trump's announcement of enhanced US-Pakistan cooperation in various fields, including an oil deal.

Field Marshal Munir is expected in the US this week for consultations with his American counterparts, Dawn newspaper reported, citing official sources.

Sources told the paper that this would be a return visit, following a trip to Pakistan by Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, head of the US Central Command (CENTCOM), in late July.

In a press statement issued on August 4, CENTCOM recalled Gen Kurilla’s recent visit to Pakistan and other countries in the region.

During the visit, Gen Kurilla was also conferred the Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) by the Pakistani government.

During his previous visit to Washington, Munir was hosted by President Trump in an unprecedented gesture typically reserved for visiting heads of state or government.

There was no official word on the visit from Inter-Services Public Relations or Pakistan’s embassy in Washington, but during his previous visit, the army chief had hinted that he expected to return to the US again later in the year.

The development comes just over a month after the US general described Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” in counterterrorism efforts during a congressional hearing, where he also praised Pakistan’s role “in promoting peace and stability” in the region.

After his meeting with Trump in June, Munir had held a comprehensive and candid exchange with senior scholars, analysts, policy experts, and representatives of leading international media outlets in Washington.

His visit to the US came weeks after the four-day conflict between India and Pakistan following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

The relations between the US and Pakistan had been under strain after the killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden by the US forces in May 2011 in a secret operation in Abbottabad, Pakistan.