WASHINGTON; Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir has described his second visit to the United States in just one and a half months as marking “a new dimension” in Pakistan–US relations, state broadcaster PTV News reported on Sunday.
The army chief is on an official trip to the US, engaging with senior political and military leaders as well as members of the Pakistani diaspora. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), this visit follows a five-day tour in June during which he met US President Donald Trump over a luncheon — the first meeting of its kind between a sitting Pakistani army chief and an incumbent US president.
Addressing Pakistani expatriates in Tampa, Florida, Munir said his back-to-back visits aimed to place bilateral ties on a constructive, sustainable, and positive path. “Overseas Pakistanis are a source of pride and dignity, as committed and passionate as our citizens at home,” he noted.
On regional issues, Munir accused India of projecting itself as a “Vishva Guru” (global teacher) while engaging in activities that undermine global security. He cited the alleged involvement of India’s intelligence agency RAW in transnational terrorism, referencing incidents such as the killing of a Sikh leader in Canada, the arrest of eight Indian naval officers in Qatar, and the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav. He claimed Pakistan had waged a successful diplomatic campaign to counter India’s “discriminatory and duplicitous” policies.
Speaking on Kashmir, Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s stance that the territory is “an unfinished international agenda” and “the jugular vein” of Pakistan, as described by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He stressed that United Nations Security Council resolutions on the matter remain valid and fully supported by Pakistan.
The army chief also warned that India’s recent “aggression” had brought the region to the brink of a potentially devastating conflict, while thanking President Trump for his “strategic leadership” in preventing a Pakistan–India war.
On counter-terrorism, Munir said several militant groups based in Afghanistan, including the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — referred to by the state as “Fitna al-Khawarij” — were operating against Pakistan. He described Pakistan as the “last stronghold against terrorism,” vowing that there would be “no sympathy” for militants and that they would face justice with full force.
Highlighting economic prospects, Munir said a potential trade deal with Washington could bring significant investment, and that MoUs signed with the US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and China were in various stages of implementation, aimed at boosting economic cooperation. He framed the Pakistani diaspora not as “brain drain” but as “brain gain” and cautioned against the use of social media by “anti-state elements” to spread engineered chaos.
During his Tampa visit, Munir attended the retirement ceremony of outgoing US Central Command (Centcom) chief General Michael E. Kurilla and welcomed the new commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, expressing confidence in continued military cooperation. He also met Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, inviting him to visit Pakistan, and held discussions with defence chiefs from allied nations on shared security concerns.
In his June visit, US military leaders, including General Kurilla, had described Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” in counter-terrorism, acknowledging its role in combating militant threats in Balochistan and against groups such as Islamic State.
