Will Trump Host Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir for Lunch?

Washington, June 18 (NationPress) U.S. President Donald Trump is set to welcome Pakistan's Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for a lunch meeting at the White House this Wednesday (local time). The gathering is slated for 1:00 p.m. in the Cabinet Room of the White House, according to the official presidential agenda.

This meeting coincides with recent reports indicating that the White House had previously denied Munir's invitation to the U.S. Army's 250th-anniversary celebration held on June 14, which contradicted earlier claims regarding his presence at the event.

Munir arrived in Washington on Sunday for a five-day official visit and is expected to engage with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as reported by the Pakistani daily Dawn.

The primary objective of this visit is to strengthen military and strategic connections between the two nations. The backdrop of this meeting includes the rising tensions between Iran and Israel, which have been ongoing for six days. While Trump has demanded an "unconditional surrender" from Iran, the Pakistani Army Chief has previously voiced his support for Tehran.

This marks Munir's first official trip to the U.S. following the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 civilians. The assault was claimed by the Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot, The Resistance Front, leading to strong condemnations from India and escalating tensions with Pakistan.

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar connected the Pahalgam massacre to what he described as the Pakistani Army Chief's "extreme religious outlook." Jaishankar emphasized, "To understand that, you have to see that on the Pakistani side, especially their Army Chief, who is driven by an extreme religious outlook. There is clearly some connection between the views that were expressed and the manner the attack was carried out."

After the incident, a ceasefire proposal was extended by Pakistan to India, leading to a temporary reduction in conflict. Trump claimed responsibility for facilitating the truce, asserting that he utilized trade leverage to prompt both parties to step back; however, New Delhi quickly refuted any claims of U.S. mediation.

Although Munir's visit aims to stabilize military relations, it has not been free of controversy. Supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan demonstrated outside the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, where Munir is residing. The protesters rallied, accusing him of human rights violations, labeling the Army Chief as "Pakistanio ke qatil" and "Islamabad ke Katil," transforming the luxury hotel into a protest site.

One protester was heard chanting "Geedad, geedad, geedad" (jackal, jackal, jackal) — a derogatory term implying cowardice and deceit — as official vehicles arrived. This incident, captured on video, quickly spread across social media, serving as a public embarrassment for the Pakistani military establishment.