2 days ago
Pakistani Media: U.S. President Donald Trump's Meeting With Pakistan Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir Reveals Pakistan's Outsized Influence On American Foreign Policy
After June 18, 2025, when U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir over lunch, newspaper headlines giving Pakistan's outsized and increasing influence on American foreign policy as the cause.
According to a Reuters report, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said that President Trump hosted General Asim Munir "after he called for the president to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for preventing a nuclear war between India and Pakistan."[1] On June 21, three days after the luncheon, Pakistan announced on X: "The Government of Pakistan has decided to formally recommend President Donald J. Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of his decisive diplomatic intervention and pivotal leadership during the recent India-Pakistan crisis."[2]
Protesters in Washington, D.C., gave an embarrassing welcome to Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir, accusing him of killing Balochs and political opponents (image courtesy: X)
The Pakistani government has sought to proclaim victory in the short-lived Pakistan-India War of May 7-10, 2025, which was triggered after India launched airstrikes on nine jihadi terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir[3] – in retaliation against the April 22 jihadi attack in Pahalgam in which Hindu male tourists were singled out and shot dead.[4]
According to Indian media, India was about to finish off the Pakistani air force and eventually go for the Pakistani army in the four-day war when President Trump pressured India into a ceasefire, thereby giving a lease of life to Pakistani military-backed jihadi organizations.[5]
The ensuing ceasefire was clear proof of Pakistan's influence on American foreign policy. The political-military leadership of Pakistan celebrated it as a victory over India. The Pakistani government's statement on X regrading nomination of Trump for Nobel peace prize touts the same line.
"At a moment of heightened regional turbulence, President Trump demonstrated great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship through robust diplomatic engagement with both Islamabad and New Delhi which de-escalated a rapidly deteriorating situation, ultimately securing a ceasefire and averting a broader conflict between the two nuclear states that would have had catastrophic consequences for millions of people in the region and beyond. This intervention stands as a testament to his role as a genuine peacemaker and his commitment to conflict resolution through dialogue," the Pakistani government stated.[6]
A supporter of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan protests General Asim Munir's visit to Washington, D.C. (image courtesy: X)
This is a sort of turning point in which Pakistan feels that the U.S. has tilted in favor of Pakistan vis-à-vis India in its South Asia policy. A day before meeting with Trump, General Asim Munir delivered a speech before an audience of Pakistani diaspora in Washington, D.C., where he indicated that he would present a proposal for planning the Pakistan-U.S. economic relationship a century into the future.
His argument was that the U.S., instead of vying for $500 billion worth of contracts in rare earth minerals with Ukraine, should turn to Pakistan, which has trillions worth of rare earth materials and can agree to a century-long deal. It is not known whether Pakistan has significant deposits of rare earth minerals, but General Asim Munir's speech focused on an economic vision for Pakistan, including the opening of data centers for artificial intelligence and an agreement between American Crypto Council and Pakistan Crypto Council, among others.[7]
President Trump's luncheon invitation has emboldened the Pakistani military and political leadership. The Pakistani leaders are confident that the United States will side with Pakistan on issues such as Balochistan, where the Baloch people are fighting for independence, and Kashmir, where Pakistan-backed jihadi groups have been fighting Indian security forces. In his speech before the Pakistani diaspora, General Asim Munir spoke about the Kashmir issue, stating: "There will be talks with India on terrorism [in Balochistan] and the world will soon see important things come to the surface."[8]
The Urdu daily Roznama Ummat reported: "Speaking about the American president's role in highlighting the Kashmir issue, Field Marshal Asim Munir said that Donald Trump has talked 13 times about the Kashmir issue and the world will soon see that several important developments will emerge. There will be talks about terrorism with India, then 1971 will also come up and how India engaged in terrorism by forming Mukti Bahini [the Bengali-speaking east Pakistanis who fought and created Bangladesh in 1971]."[9]
Speaking about Pakistan's influence on American foreign policy, General Asim Munir told the audience: "America and India are not on the same page regarding terrorism in Pakistan. India wants to cause terrorism in Pakistan, while America is opposed to this terrorism."[10]
In Washington D.C., General Asim Munir addresses the Pakistani diaspora (image courtesy: X)
The June 18 Trump-Munir was hailed in Pakistan in celebratory, historic terms. The Urdu daily Roznama Express titled its report: "Pakistan An Important Atomic Country, [I] Like It, Asim Munir Influential Personality, He Played Important Role In Ceasefire – Trump."[11] This title was placed just above the main bold headline: "Thanks For Stopping The War: Trump, Historic Meeting With Asim Munir."[12] Roznama Ummat, another Urdu daily close to the Pakistani military and pro-Pakistan jihadi organizations, headlined its report: "Historic Meeting Of President Trump With Field Marshal Asim Munir."[13] Above this bold headline, another top title read: "[I] Had Invited The Field Marshal To Thank Him For Stopping The War With India, Iran Was Also Discussed – American president."[14]
In an editorial titled "Power Lunch," the liberal Dawn newspaper welcomed the meeting but cautioned the Pakistani leadership, saying: "Pakistan must proceed carefully. Improved ties with Washington should be pursued, especially in the economic and geopolitical spheres. But it should also be remembered that the U.S. leader is known for making sharp U-turns, and what is considered American policy today may be disowned and discarded tomorrow."[15]
Noting that some individuals in Pakistan celebrated the high-profile luncheon as a diplomatic success, senior journalist Najam Sethi cautioned that the meeting could have long-term implications for Pakistan, stating: "America has previously supported figures like [military rulers] Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, and Pervez Musharraf – but each of those alliances have had [negative] consequences."[16]
"There is no such thing as a free lunch in America – everything has a cost," Najam Sethi said, warning that those praising this engagement might be overlooking its hidden costs.[17] Emphasizing that America's approach is interest-based, not relationship-based, Sethi cited former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's quote: "To be an enemy of American can be dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal."[18]
