In most countries, the average person does not know the name of their army chief and when their army chief visits a foreign country it is normally a very military-to-military dialogue. That is not the case with Pakistan, where it may be difficult for the average Pakistani to name their Prime Minister or President, but they will be able to name all army chiefs!
Pakistan’s current army chief, General Asim Munir, appears to be concerned less with Pakistan’s economic and political instability and instead is focusing on building popularity among the Pakistani diaspora and demonstrating that the U.S. still values Pakistan.
On his first visit to the United States since assuming office in Nov 2022, General Munir met with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin, Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer, and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff General Charles Q. Brown.
General Munir then went to New York and met with UN Secretary General Guterres. In true Pakistani leadership style, the army chief discussed the crisis in Gaza and Kashmir. “He urged the UNSG to mobilise the international community for an immediate halt to hostilities in Gaza, preventing a humanitarian tragedy. He also emphasised that a lasting solution lies in the two-state solution. Emphasising the Kashmir issue, Gen Munir stated that peace in South Asia would remain unattainable until a resolution aligns with UNSC resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. He also condemned “illegal Indian efforts to change the status of Jammu and Kashmir”, deeming it a violation of UNSC resolutions.”
At a dinner for the Pakistani American community, primarily tech entrepreneurs and doctors, the army chief asked for investment back home. Interestingly, while large segments of the diaspora support Imran Khan and have, in the past, showed that support through sloganeering during events hosted by Pakistan’s civilian leaders – the army chief was not greeted with any slogans or pro-PTI signs!
It is indeed something unique to Pakistan – and military dictatorships like Egypt – that the army chief seeks economic investment and meets with foreign leaders, not the civilian leadership.
