Lagatar24 Desk
Washington: Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, has been officially invited to the United States to participate in the US Army’s 250th anniversary celebrations on June 14, coinciding with President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. Munir’s high-profile visit comes at a time of heightened regional tensions and growing political controversy at home.
Pakistan’s diplomatic and security agenda
According to sources, Munir’s primary objective in Washington will be to seek expanded security cooperation from the US, particularly against the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP), which continues to pose threats across South and Central Asia, including within Pakistan. Islamabad is also expected to press Washington to nudge India towards dialogue, specifically advocating for resumption of the Indus Waters Treaty that New Delhi suspended after the April 22 Pahalgam massacre. The attack, attributed to Pakistan-backed militants, claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists, sparking diplomatic backlash.
In addition, Munir will lobby the Trump administration for a proposed zero-tariff bilateral trade agreement, as well as seek American investment in Pakistan’s mineral extraction and agriculture sectors under its Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), sources familiar with the matter said.
Imran Khan’s PTI plans protests in Washington
Munir’s US visit has provoked strong reactions within Pakistan’s fractured political landscape. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has announced plans for major demonstrations outside the Pakistan Embassy in Washington on June 14, coinciding with Munir’s arrival. PTI’s Secretary for Overseas Affairs, Sajjad Burki, called the army chief “Islamabad assassin Asim Munir” and urged the Pakistani diaspora to join protests aimed at restoring democracy in Pakistan. Protest leaflets are being widely distributed across Pakistani-American neighborhoods in the US capital.
Parallel trade talks with US officials
Simultaneously, a senior Pakistani trade delegation led by Commerce Secretary Jawad Paul is also set to visit Washington this week. The delegation includes top Federal Board of Revenue officials and sectoral representatives from energy and information technology. They are scheduled to meet officials at the Office of the United States Trade Representative to discuss newly imposed US tariffs, trade imbalances, and possible sectoral cooperation. This visit marks the latest round of high-level exchanges amid lingering regional instability following Pakistan’s recent military conflict with India.
