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Arab News
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
No visit by Trump to Pakistan ‘scheduled at this time' — White House official
ISLAMABAD: No visit to Pakistan by US President Donald Trump has been scheduled, a White House official confirmed on Thursday, contradicting media reports in Pakistan that claimed he would arrive in the country in mid-September. At least two Pakistani media outlets had reported that Trump was expected to visit Islamabad around September 18. The reports fueled speculation about a possible South Asia tour that could include a rare presidential trip to Pakistan. However, Trump is already scheduled to travel to the United Kingdom from September 17 to 19, where he is expected to meet members of the royal family and participate in events hosted by Buckingham Palace, according to a previously issued statement from the palace. Separately, Indian media have reported that Trump may also stop in New Delhi in September, though exact dates have not been confirmed by the White House. In response to an Arab News query regarding a potential Pakistan visit, the White House said on background: 'A trip to Pakistan has not been scheduled at this time.' Geo and ARY news channels had said earlier on Thursday that Trump was expected to visit Pakistan in September. But both later withdrew their reports. If Trump does end up visiting Pakistan, it would be his first to Pakistan as president and the first by a US president since George W. Bush's trip to Islamabad in 2006. US-Pakistan relations saw a major boost when Trump hosted Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House last month in an unprecedented lunch meeting.
Reuters
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Pakistani TV channels withdraw reports on Trump visit
ISLAMABAD, July 17 (Reuters) - Two leading Pakistani television news channels withdrew reports on Thursday that U.S. President Donald Trump planned to visit the South Asian nation, with one of them issuing an apology. The White House dismissed the reports. "A trip to Pakistan has not been scheduled at this time," a White House official said. Geo and ARY news channels had said earlier on Thursday that Trump was expected to visit Pakistan in September. But both later withdrew their reports. "Geo News apologises to its viewers for airing the news without a verification," it said. A senior management official at ARY told Reuters it backtracked after the foreign office said it had no knowledge of a visit. George W. Bush was the last U.S. president to visit Pakistan in 2006. U.S.-Pakistan relations saw a major boost when Trump hosted Pakistan's army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House last month in an unprecedented meeting.
News18
5 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
From Kabul To Tehran: How Pakistan's Military Exploits The ‘Ummah' For Power
Last Updated: The so-called support for the Ummah became a convenient narrative to mask Pakistan's collaboration with Western intelligence and its betrayal of genuine Islamic solidarity. Ayesha Jalal, a highly respected historian from Pakistan, contends that the nation's foundational identity is built on a paradox: the effort to reconcile Islamic universalism, represented by the non-territorial concept of 'Ummah', with the territorial framework of the modern nation-state. This ideological tension, she argues, has left the state susceptible to manipulation by those in power. Over time, the unresolved contradiction has enabled Pakistan's ruling elites to selectively invoke Islamic identity when politically convenient, while gradually sidelining the collective ideals of the 'Ummah' in favour of state-centric interests and material gain. On April 15, 2025, during the first Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad, Asim Munir, the current Army Chief, proclaimed that Pakistan is not only the only modern state founded on the Kalima but also the second state in Islamic history, after the Prophet's establishment of Riyasat-e-Tayyiba (Madinah al-Munawwarah) in 622 CE, to be created explicitly based on core Islamic tenets. He stated: 'In the annals of human history, the first state founded on the Kalima was established more than 1,300 years ago, and now, by the will of God, he has granted you the honour of being the second to be built upon the same sacred foundation." Nonetheless, these proclamations, cloaked in religious reverence, ring hollow as they are invoked primarily to bolster the legitimacy of the military establishment that continues to dominate the country's political order. This use of Islamic rhetoric and eschatological references from the highest echelons of power is not a sincere call for Islamic governance but rather a strategic instrument of statecraft, designed to preserve the state's entrenched grip on power and perpetuate its political entanglements for the benefit of the Pakistani military elite. This betrayal of Islamic values in favour of realpolitik is neither new nor subtle; it is a recurring pattern, etched into the very memory of Pakistan's modern history. From the battlefields of Jordan in 1970, where Pakistan's military aided the Jordanian monarchy in suppressing Palestinian factions during Black September, to the US-backed proxy war in Afghanistan throughout the 1980s, Pakistan's ruling elites have repeatedly compromised Pan-Islamic solidarity for Western approval and financial reward. These decisions, framed as acts of Muslim unity, were deeply transactional, serving the strategic interests of the Pakistani state while devastating Muslim communities across the region. In both cases, Pakistan aligned itself not with the oppressed or the ideals of 'Ummah', but with authoritarian regimes and Western power, weaponising Islamic rhetoric for geopolitical patronage. The memories of the 1970s grow murkier as one of the central figures during the brutal Black September crackdown, representing Pakistan, was none other than Brigadier Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq himself. Furthermore, the Soviet incursion into Afghanistan in December 1979 signified the beginning of a protracted conflict that fundamentally altered the geopolitical landscape of the region. Although Pakistan publicly asserted its role as a defender of the Afghan populace and the wider 'Ummah', its subsequent actions disclose a significantly more self-serving agenda. From 1980 to 1988, Pakistan, under the military governance of General Zia-ul-Haq, emerged as the principal conduit for US support directed towards the Afghan Mujahideen, motivated by both internal legitimacy and regional aspirations. It is widely believed that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) sourced approximately $2 billion to $3 billion in clandestine support and provided training to over 80,000 combatants. ISI openly supported factions aligned with its objectives, particularly Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, while marginalising more autonomous leaders such as Ahmad Shah Massoud. Consequently, this engendered the empowerment of extremist groups, many of which would subsequently metamorphose into the Taliban. Pakistan's initial endorsement of ideological extremism, cloaked in the language of 'Jihad,' allowed it to propagate a narrative of Islamic obligation while simultaneously pursuing its strategic depth doctrine. The military intervention was portrayed as a holy mission to liberate a fellow Muslim nation. However, in reality, Pakistan exploited the conflict to entrench its authoritarian regime and advance its regional ambitions. The so-called support for the Ummah became a convenient narrative to mask Pakistan's collaboration with Western intelligence and its betrayal of genuine Islamic solidarity. Even after the Soviets withdrew in 1989, Pakistan continued to interfere in Afghanistan, backing militant factions that tore the country apart. The ISI trained the Taliban in various skills, including crafting explosive devices and orchestrating intricate suicide attacks. Tragically, these tactics, once seen as tools of 'resistance", became instruments of mass civilian suffering. Over two decades of war saw more than 50,000 Afghan civilians lose their lives. Far from defending the 'Ummah', Pakistan exploited it, leading to decades of bloodshed, instability, and the eventual rise of the Taliban. No instance perhaps better elucidates the persistent nature of this duplicity than Pakistan's recent management of the Iran-Israel crisis, a paradigmatic instance of discursive dissonance, where invocations of Islamic solidarity mask the geopolitical pragmatism that truly guides state behaviour. Despite recurrent proclamations of allegiance to the 'Ummah', Pakistan remains conspicuously silent when that very 'Ummah' is in urgent need of advocacy, as seen in its muted response to Israeli aggression against Iran. Amidst this intensifying crisis, Pakistan's Army Chief, General Asim Munir, initiated a five-day diplomatic initiative in Washington, DC, a gesture that starkly contradicted Pakistan's avowed allegiance to the 'Ummah'. Munir further exacerbated the situation by nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. This act, striking in its implications, highlighted Pakistan's implicit alignment with the Western-Israeli coalition, even as it publicly presented itself as a defender of Islamic interests. This duplicity was not overlooked. Members of the Pakistani populace and civil society openly reproached the ruling elite for their perceived betrayal of the 'Ummah.' One notable political commentator, Talat Hussain, articulated this sentiment on X, stating: 'Israel's sugar daddy in Gaza and cheerleader of its attacks on Iran isn't a candidate for any prize." This public sentiment reflects a growing disillusionment with Pakistan's leadership, whose actions increasingly diverge from its rhetorical claims of Islamic unity and solidarity. The Iran episode does not mark a deviation from Pakistan's foreign policy trajectory; rather, it exemplifies its core logic. From Jordan to Afghanistan to Gaza, Pakistan's reliance on Islamic rhetoric has rarely translated into principled action. Its muted response to Israeli aggression against Iran, punctuated by the push for the Nobel Peace Prize, underscores the dissonance between its pious rhetoric and cynical realpolitik. Iran is not an anomaly in this Pakistani history; it is its most vivid expression. What is laid bare is not simply hypocrisy but a decades-long pattern of betrayal shrouded in the language of faith, in which the 'Ummah' is evoked not to be defended, but to be instrumentalised in favour of Pakistan's military elite. NC Bipindra is Chairman of Delhi-based think-tank Law and Society Alliance. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. About the Author NC Bipindra NC Bipindra is Chairman of Delhi-based think-tank Law and Society Alliance. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
7 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Pakistan's Strategic Miscalculation: Trump, Tehran, And The Cost Of Misplaced Trust
Last Updated: Asim Munir, who had spent months manipulating Pakistan's political structure and suppressing dissent, was himself played by Donald Trump. In a seismic show of force, the United States on June 22 executed a devastating strike against Iran's core nuclear infrastructure. The Fordow enrichment complex, nestled deep within a mountain, was targeted by a fleet of B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers in what became the largest and second-longest B-2 mission in US military history. Almost simultaneously, 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from submarines slammed into Iran's key sites at Isfahan and Natanz. President Donald Trump, never one to understate his actions, proclaimed later that day: '…The strikes have been spectacularly successful. Iran's key nuclear facilities have been completely and totally obliterated…" These weren't hollow words. The mission employed eight GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators—each capable of delivering over 6,000 pounds of high explosives. Even if the bombs didn't reach the deepest subterranean vaults of Fordow, the sheer concussive force of nearly 48 tons of explosives in a confined space left little doubt: Iran's sensitive nuclear equipment is no longer operational. The devastation at Natanz and Isfahan—far more vulnerable sites—would be even more complete. The US had long harboured ambitions of dismantling Iran's nuclear infrastructure. But what had been missing for years was the political will. That changed in June 2025. With this one sweeping strike, 'Project Amad", Iran's covert nuclear program first initiated in the 2000s, now lies in ruins. The regime in Tehran, which drew its power and deterrence from nuclear ambiguity, has been jolted into a crisis. A Perfectly Sequenced Campaign with Israel Starting mid-June, Israel escalated to strategic targets inside Iran – hitting power grids, oil depots, tunnels, air bases, and even targeting nuclear scientists and senior commanders. The precision and lethality of these operations sent shockwaves through Iran's military and political hierarchy. Facing unprecedented disruption, the Iranian leadership retreated into digital silence, severely limiting communication and mobility. This inherently caused a paralysis in knowing, decision-making and acting against what was coming. Only once Israel had softened Iran's defences did the United States strike, leveraging its stealth capabilities and missile supremacy to hit targets only it could neutralise. The result was a textbook execution of a joint strategic playbook, demonstrating new levels of coordination between Washington and Tel Aviv. Grey Zone Warfare: A Six-Dimensional Offensive This campaign was a prime example of modern Grey Zone Warfare, waged across six interlinked domains: Diplomatic, Information (including intelligence), Military, Economic, Political, and Technological (DIME-PT). Diplomatically, it reshaped the power equations in West Asia. Militarily, it showcased stealth dominance and kinetic precision. Economically, it targeted critical infrastructure that funds Iranian regional influence. Politically, it cornered the Iranian regime at home and abroad. Technologically, it employed unmatched capabilities in cyber, stealth, and satellite warfare. Informationally, it seized the narrative, leaving no ambiguity about American resolve. Neither Russia nor China – Iran's supposed backers – made any significant move to deter or respond. India, historically friendly with both Iran and Israel, maintained strategic silence – an indication of tacit approval. Meanwhile, Pakistan, Iran's neighbour and erstwhile ally, found itself scrambling for relevance, and in the process, revealed the deep flaws in its strategic thinking. Pakistan: The Cost of Being Played In the lead-up to the US strike, Pakistan was caught playing a dangerous double game. Just a day before the bombing, Pakistan's government reportedly proposed nominating Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize – a surreal move given Trump's well-known hawkish stance on both Iran and Pakistan. Within 24 hours, the same government was publicly condemning Trump for bombing Iran's nuclear sites. This flip-flop was more than a diplomatic embarrassment – it exposed the strategic shallowness of Pakistan's power elite. The central figure in this misadventure was General Asim Munir, who had recently self-promoted to Field Marshal after India's Operation Sindoor, which shattered Pakistan's nuclear deterrence bluff. Seeking international validation, Munir flew to Washington and was hosted by Trump at a high-profile White House luncheon. Overwhelmed by praise, and blind to precedent, Munir appeared to miss a crucial detail: Trump had not forgotten his own words from 2018, when he declared: 'The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan. No more!" Yet here was Munir – naively believing flattery and symbolism would reset the clock. While he publicly signalled support for Iran, he quietly offered strategic cooperation to the United States, hoping to position Pakistan as a regional mediator. Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister, parroted this illusion on social media, claiming to have spoken to the Iranian President 'to express Pakistan's unwavering solidarity with the brotherly people of Iran." A Masterclass in Strategic Deception – But Not by Pakistan What played out was a masterclass in American strategic deception – not by Pakistan, but against Pakistan. Munir, who had spent months manipulating Pakistan's political structure and suppressing dissent, was himself played by Trump. In offering backdoor deals, mineral access, and intelligence cooperation, Pakistan hoped to regain Washington's trust. But Trump – and the US national security establishment – saw through it. Pakistan was using the same tactics it once employed with China, offering mineral rights and geostrategic leverage as bait. China learned its $64 billion CPEC lesson slowly. The United States learned it overnight. What remains is a country that has betrayed old allies like Iran, undermined its credibility, and overestimated its importance in a new regional order. A Self-Inflicted Wound The US strike on Iran was more than a military triumph – it was a strategic earthquake. For Pakistan, it exposed not just a diplomatic failure, but a crisis of judgement. Caught between old loyalties and new ambitions, Pakistan bet on the wrong strategy – and perhaps the wrong president. In the brutal clarity of international affairs, there are no rewards for sycophancy, only consequences. The United States acted decisively. Israel coordinated expertly. Iran miscalculated fatally. And Pakistan – well, Pakistan simply played itself. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views. About the Author Brigadier Brijesh Pandey Brig Brijesh Pandey is a veteran with distinguished career of 35+ years in Indian Army, specialising in Artillery and pioneering Information Warfare. Proven leader with expertise in strategic planning, More tags : Asim Munir donald trump Israel-Iran tensions pakistan view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 23, 2025, 13:56 IST News opinion Opinion | Pakistan's Strategic Miscalculation: Trump, Tehran, And The Cost Of Misplaced Trust Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
7 hours ago
- Business
- News18
Munir's Asia Push: Pakistan Markets Chinese Arms, Seeks Defence Deals After India Conflict
Last Updated: General Asim Munir is preparing for a major tour of China, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia to forge long-term military cooperation and align Pakistan with like-minded nations Pakistan, on the back foot after its recent conflict with India in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, is aggressively pursuing military diplomacy to bolster its strategic partnerships, diversify defence alliances, and reposition itself as a regional defence player. Leading this unprecedented effort is Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff and Field Marshal, General Asim Munir, who is now preparing for a major tour of China, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia later this month. Following a string of high-level visits to the United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Iran, and Azerbaijan, Munir's upcoming trip marks a continued push into South and Southeast Asia. According to top military sources in Rawalpindi, these visits are not routine diplomacy—they are calibrated moves aimed at forging long-term military cooperation, securing defence deals, and aligning Pakistan with like-minded nations in a shifting regional security landscape. Munir is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka from July 20-22 and Indonesia from July 24-26. Sources suggest a confidential stop-over in China may take place between the two visits or in early August. The Chinese leg of the tour is being kept under wraps due to the sensitive nature of discussions, which reportedly center around intelligence-sharing, defence procurement, and regional power balance in the Indo-Pacific. This broader diplomatic initiative follows the border conflict with India, which significantly raised tensions and put regional security cooperation under renewed scrutiny. Pakistan has since reoriented its foreign military policy to deepen strategic ties and project a narrative of military strength, particularly to the Global South. A key component of Pakistan's outreach involves the marketing of Chinese and Turkish defence technology, with Islamabad positioning itself as a facilitator and regional hub for arms sales. According to insiders, Pakistan's military leadership is actively promoting JF-17 Thunder jets—jointly produced with China—and Turkish Bayraktar drones, especially after their reported effectiveness during the India conflict. Munir and his delegation are expected to pitch these platforms to countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Iran, highlighting both performance and affordability. This strategy ties into Pakistan's broader aim of playing a more central role in defence procurement for the Global South. Earlier this year, defence ministers from Türkiye and Indonesia visited Islamabad, engaging in high-level talks on military training, joint production, and regional security coordination. These reciprocal visits underscore growing interest in defence collaboration and reflect a shared interest in counterbalancing larger regional powers. Geostrategic Realignment & Regional Messaging Sources close to Pakistan's General Headquarters (GHQ) describe this flurry of diplomatic activity as part of a long-term vision to 'reshape Pakistan's military partnerships" amid changing regional dynamics. Munir has reportedly briefed top military forums that his recent trips to Washington, Riyadh, Abu Dhabi, Ankara, Baku, and Tehran were 'highly successful diplomatic manoeuvres," establishing a robust network of defence cooperation across multiple theatres. With these ongoing and upcoming visits, Pakistan is signalling its ambition to move beyond traditional security alignments, seeking newer alliances and shared defence initiatives amid evolving global fault lines, particularly in Asia and the Middle East. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
