Washington, DC [US], June 19 (ANI): Former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, expressed strong criticism following Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir’s recent meeting with US President Donald Trump, stating that Munir “cannot be trusted.” Khalilzad invoked the history of the Pakistani military’s alleged duplicity, accusing it of playing a “double game” with the United States.
In a post on X, Khalilzad said, “President Trump knows that the Pakistani military has long played a double game with us. During the years of our military presence in Afghanistan, Pakistan took our assistance and at the same time provided support and sanctuary to those who were killing our forces. Similarly, during the war on terror after 9/11, the Pakistani military selectively helped both us and the al-Qaida terrorists. Where did we find Bin Laden? All cozy in Pakistan near one of Pakistan’s military facilities. And Pakistan still holds Dr. Afridi, who helped us find and eliminate Bin Laden.”
His remarks came shortly after US President Donald Trump hosted General Asim Munir for a lunch meeting at the White House on Wednesday.
Khalilzad speculated that General Munir likely had five key objectives for the meeting:
- To discuss Indo-Pak relations;
- To attract US investment in Pakistan’s mineral sector through military-owned companies and to strengthen trade ties;
- To propose that the US subcontract protection of its interests in Afghanistan, including counterterrorism, to the Pakistani military—an idea Khalilzad called “a formula for utter disaster”;
- To offer Pakistan as a conduit for US-China communication; and
- To seek greater legitimacy for Munir’s de facto leadership status.
Khalilzad noted that although Munir has gained popularity and elevated himself to the rank of Field Marshal, Pakistan continues to suffer from severe internal challenges, including the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, an economic crisis, and growing insurgency in Balochistan.
“It is a great gift and honor that the President is bestowing on Pakistan’s General Asim Munir by hosting him for lunch,” Khalilzad wrote. “Although he has gained some popularity and has elevated himself to the rank of Field Marshal, there is widespread opposition to the continued imprisonment of the country’s most popular politician @ImranKhanPTI on trumped-up charges. There are huge economic problems in the country, plus a growing insurgency in the country’s #Baluchistan region.”
He concluded his statement with a blunt message: “Bottom line: Gen Asim Munir cannot be trusted.”
Meanwhile, President Trump praised Munir during the lunch meeting for his role in preventing escalation between India and Pakistan. “The reason I had him here was I wanted to thank him for not going into the war and ending it,” Trump said.
The last Pakistani military leader to meet a sitting US President was General Pervez Musharraf in 2001, during his tenure as the country’s head of state and military ruler. (ANI)
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