Trump to meet Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir over lunch amid Mideast crisis
General Asim Munir's US visit is marked by protests from Pakistani activists, even as he is scheduled to meet with President Trump for lunch. The protests highlight concerns over Munir's actions in Pakistan. Simultaneously, Trump is escalating tensions with Iran, demanding unconditional surrender amidst ongoing conflict in West Asia, a situation complicated by Pakistan's support for Iran.
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US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir over lunch on Wednesday. A White House itinerary of President Trump for Wednesday shows his lunch meeting with the PakistGeneral.Pakistan's General Munir is currently on a visit to the United States. On Monday, he was met with protests by overseas Pakistanis and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters in Washington, D.C. Videos circulating on social media show demonstrators chanting slogans such as 'Pakistanio ke Qatil' and 'Islamabad ke Qatil' during an event welcoming Munir.Nazia Imtiaz Hussain, who identifies herself on X as Executive Director of The Alliance Organisation, posted a video of the protest, saying, 'We're here to protest the criminal dictator of Pakistan. Shame on every bootlicker who showed up in support of fascism—you didn't just betray democracy; you spit on the suffering of millions.'PTI USA also shared protest footage, stating, 'Pakistani-Americans in Washington, DC are protesting outside the Four Seasons hotel, reminding General Asim Munir of the crimes he's committed against the people of Pakistan.'The meeting between Trump and Munir comes at a tense moment globally, with the US President focused on the escalating crisis in West Asia. On Tuesday, Trump took to Truth Social, demanding an 'unconditional surrender' from Iran. He claimed the US had 'complete and total control of the skies over Iran' and knew 'exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding,' warning, 'our patience is wearing thin,' before posting: 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!'In contrast, General Munir has expressed support for Iran. In a recent speech in Washington, he said Pakistan stands with Iran and hopes for a swift resolution to the conflict.The backdrop to these developments includes a series of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites, followed by retaliatory attacks from Tehran. Trump has reiterated his support for Israel and has repeatedly stressed that Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.Earlier, Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir spewed venom against India and Hindus just weeks before the Pahalgam attack, in which several tourists were killed by terrorists, to emphasise that Islamabad's approach has been to "bleed India by thousand cuts".In May, Pakistan's federal cabinet approved the elevation of Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal—only the second time in the country's history such a title has been conferred. The decision comes despite acknowledged military and strategic setbacks during the recent conflict with India.According to Dawn, the government cited Munir's leadership in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos and the Indo-Pak confrontation, dubbed Marka-i-Haq, as justification for the rare honour.While military analysts have pointed to failures during the operation, the Pakistani government portrayed the outcome as a 'historic victory,' praising General Munir's role in the conflict.General Munir now joins the ranks of Field Marshal Ayub Khan—Pakistan's first and only other officer to hold the title. Ayub, who seized power in a 1958 military coup and later became President, had conferred the rank upon himself following his assumption of office.
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