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.
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
Tired of too many ads?
Remove Ads
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
39 minutes ago
- India.com
Trump to lunch with Pakistan army chief Munir, PM Modi rejects invitation, Pakistan is worried but good news for India due to...
(File) Trump-Munir meeting: In a major development that could impact the India-US relations, Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir will meet US President Donald Trump for lunch at the White House on Wednesday, where Islamabad claims talks will held on the Kashmir issue and Pakistan's conflict with India, along with other pressing matters, including the raging Israel-Iran war. Munir's US trip as Trump admin readies to attack Iran Munir's meeting with Trump comes at a time when the US is mulling to get involved in Israel-Iran war, and send fighter jets and American troops to aid Israel in taking out Iranian nuclear facilities, especially the hardened Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, which is built deep underground and cannot be damaged by conventional bunker buster bombs. In a public address in Washington DC, Asim Munir had declared Pakistan's 'clear and strong' support for Iran in its war with Israel while also backing US efforts to de-escalate the situation. While US readies to attack Iran, Asim Munir as well as the Pakistan's civilian government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has announced strong support for Tehran in its war against the Jewish state, a situation that presents a major conundrum for Islamabad to balance its ties with Washington. Its is believed that US could use Pakistani airbases to launch attacks against Iran if it decides to get involved in the Israel-Iran war, and Trump's meeting with Munir could be meant to sway the Pakistani army chief to change Islamabad's stance on Tehran. Experts say that if America jumps into the war against Iran, then Pakistan's airbase can be used and that is why Trump is giving so much importance to Munir. The Pakistanis themselves are not able to digest the fact that the US President is meeting an Army Chief. Pakistani journalist and analyst Waqas wrote on X, 'It is surprising that Trump is going to have lunch with the Army Chief of Pakistan. That too when his counterpart is the PM of Pakistan. Meeting a low-level government official is out of protocol but it shows that Trump needs General Munir. Trump is going to talk about Pakistan's support in the war with Iran.' Geopolitical have pointed out the significance of Asim Munir being invited to a meeting with the US President at the White House, as it not the norm to host foreign Army chief in the Oval Office. 'Senior US officials often engage with Pakistani Army Chiefs, but rarely is one hosted at the White House by the US President. One of many reasons why Munir's scheduled meeting with Trump is so significant, especially as his administration considers its options regarding the war in Iran,' South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman wrote on X. Kugelman noted that the Trump-Munir meeting shouldn't only be seen through the lens of the Israel-Iran war as the there's been US-Pakistan engagement on critical minerals, crypto, and Counter Terrorism. 'Trump takes a deep personal interest in all of these. And Munir is empowered to talk about it all. Also, Kashmir,' he added. According to Derek J. Grossman, National Security and Indo-Pacific analyst, it was time for India to 'speak up'. 'India, time to speak up! Trump this week is scheduled to meet at the White House with Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir, who New Delhi believes is the terrorist mastermind behind attacks on Indians.' Good news for India? While Asim Munir being hosted at the White House is certainly a setback for India's diplomatic efforts to isolate Pakistan on the global stage, experts note that there may be silver lining for New Delhi as Iran would likely move closer to India if the Pakistan army chief is coerced into changing Islamabad's stance on the Israel-Iran conflict. 'Trump will meet Asim Munir. There is no doubt he (Trump) will seek cooperation from Pakistan against Iran, which includes providing Pakistani airbases to the US Army. This is a tempting offer for the Pakistani army, but Tehran could move closer to India if Islamabad allows US to attack it from its soil,' West Asia affairs expert Kabir Taneja wrote on X. PM Modi declined Trump invite Notably, it has also come to the fore that Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday rejected an offer to visit the US after attending the G7 summit in Canada. According to details, Trump, in a 35-minute telephone conversation with Modi, had requested the Indian Prime Minister to visit the US after departing from Canada, presumably to arrange a meeting with Pakistan's de-facto ruler, Asim Munir and the Indian PM, with the US President acting as mediator. However, PM Modi turned down the offer, reinforcing India's stance of not accepting any third-party mediation to resolve its issues with Pakistan 'Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, which took place in Canada. During the conversation, which lasted over half an hour, PM Modi briefed the US President about India's Operation Sindoor and firmly conveyed the message that India has never accepted and will never accept mediation on the issues with Pakistan,' Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri informed..
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
'I may do it, I may not; No one knows what I'll do': Trump on striking Iran
Donald Trump said his patience with Iran had run out, as Israeli airstrikes intensified in Tehran. Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei rejected Trump's call for unconditional surrender Prateek Shukla New Delhi US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that his patience with Iran had run out. His statement came amid intensified Israeli airstrikes around Tehran. Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump said Iran had made contact, but added, 'it's very late to be talking.' He refused to confirm whether the US would support Israel's bombing campaign against the Islamic Republic. 'There's a big difference between now and a week ago,' Trump said. 'Nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Asked if he is moving closer to striking Iran's nuclear facilities, Trump said, 'I may do it. I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do.' Iran's Supreme Leader rejects US demands In response, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected Trump's calls for unconditional surrender in a televised address — his first since Friday. 'The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage,' Khamenei said. 'Intelligent people who know Iran, the Iranian nation and its history will never speak to this nation in threatening language because the Iranian nation will not surrender.' Israel continues strikes; civilians flee Tehran As the conflict escalated, Israeli airstrikes intensified, prompting residents to flee Tehran in large numbers. Highways out of the city were jammed with people trying to escape the bombing. 'As we promised – we will continue to strike at symbols of governance and hit the Ayatollah regime wherever it may be,' said Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. According to Israel's military, 50 fighter jets struck 20 targets in Tehran, including facilities involved in missile production. The Israeli military also urged civilians to evacuate parts of the city for their own safety. Trump's tone has shifted in recent days — from hinting at a diplomatic solution to suggesting military involvement. In a series of social media posts on Tuesday, he speculated about targeting Khamenei and demanded Iran's 'UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER!'
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
US Supreme Court upholds Tennessee law banning youth transgender care
The US Supreme Court backed a Republican-backed ban in Tennessee on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors on Wednesday in a setback for transgender rights that could bolster efforts by states to defend other measures targeting transgender people. The court, in a 6-3 ruling powered by its conservative justices, decided that the ban does not violate the US Constitution's 14th Amendment promise of equal protection. They upheld a lower court's decision upholding Tennessee's law barring medical treatments such as puberty blockers and hormones for people under age 18 experiencing gender dysphoria. The Supreme Court's three liberal justices dissented. "Tennessee concluded that there is an ongoing debate among medical experts regarding the risks and benefits associated with administering puberty blockers and hormones to treat gender dysphoria, gender identity disorder and gender incongruence. (The law's) ban on such treatments responds directly to that uncertainty," conservative Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor expressed dismay that the court largely deferred to the state legislature's policy choices in upholding the ban. "By retreating from meaningful judicial review exactly where it matters most, the court abandons transgender children and their families to political whims. In sadness, I dissent," Sotomayor wrote, joined by fellow liberal Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Gender dysphoria is the clinical diagnosis for significant distress that can result from an incongruence between a person's gender identity and the sex assigned at birth. The Justice Department under Democratic former President Joe Biden's administration had challenged the law. The dispute over transgender rights and Tennessee's ban - one of two dozen such policies enacted by conservative state lawmakers around the country - required the Supreme Court to confront a major flashpoint in the US culture wars. Since returning to office in January, Republican President Donald Trump has taken a hardline stance against transgender rights. Trump's administration told the Supreme Court in February that Tennessee's ban was not unlawful, reversing the position taken by the government under Biden. The Trump administration, however, suggested that the court press forward and decide the case despite the shift. Tennessee's law, passed in 2023, aims to encourage minors to "appreciate their sex" by prohibiting healthcare workers from prescribing puberty blockers and hormones to help them live as "a purported identity inconsistent with the minor's sex." Providers can be sued and face fines and professional discipline under the law for any violations. The law allows these medications to be used for any other purpose, including to address congenital defects, early-onset puberty or other conditions. Several plaintiffs - three transgender minors and their parents, as well as a doctor who provides the type of care at issue - sued to challenge the Tennessee law's legality. They were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and LGBT rights group Lambda Legal. Biden's Justice Department subsequently intervened in the lawsuit, opposing Tennessee's law. The challengers argued that the law discriminates against these adolescents based on sex and transgender status, violating the 14th Amendment. Tennessee has said it is banning "risky, unproven gender-transition interventions," pointing to "scientific uncertainty," tightened restrictions in some European countries and "firsthand accounts of regret and harm" from people who discontinue or reverse treatments. Medical associations, noting that gender dysphoria is associated with higher rates of suicide, have said gender-affirming care can be life-saving, and that long-term studies show its effectiveness. A federal judge blocked the law as likely violating the 14th Amendment but the Cincinnati-based 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals later reversed the judge's preliminary injunction. TRANSGENDER RIGHTS The Supreme Court on May 6 permitted Trump's administration to implement his ban on transgender people in the military, allowing the armed forces to discharge the thousands of current transgender troops and reject new recruits while legal challenges play out. Trump since returning to office has taken actions targeting "gender ideology" and declaring that the US government will recognize two sexes: male and female. Trump issued executive orders curtailing gender-affirming medical treatments for youth under 19 and excluding transgender girls and women from female sports, while rescinding orders by Biden combating discrimination against gay and transgender people. The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority. In a previous major case involving transgender rights, it ruled in 2020 that a landmark federal law forbidding workplace discrimination protects gay and transgender employees. During arguments in the Tennessee case in December, some of the conservative justices cited an ongoing debate among experts and policy makers over the potential benefits and drawbacks associated with the treatments at issue, suggesting that those decisions should be left to legislatures instead of courts. A broader set of state restrictions have been enacted in recent years targeting transgender people, from bathroom use to sports participation, some limited to minors but others extending to adults.
