ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir and General Michael Erik Kurilla, the commander of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) discussed regional security and joint training in a meeting on Thursday, the army’s media wing said. 

US CENTCOM directs and enables military operations with its allies to increase regional security and promote US interests. Among its stated command priorities is to counter violent extremist organizations. 

Pakistan has seen a surge in militant attacks in its Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces bordering Afghanistan since a fragile truce between the state and the Pakistani Taliban broke down in Nov. 2022. 

Both Pakistan and US have collaborated over the years to take out militant organizations, especially in Pakistan’s restive tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. 

Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said General Kurilla called on Munir at the army’s headquarters in Rawalpindi. 

“During the meeting, matters of shared interests, particularly cooperation in regional security matters came under discussion,” the ISPR said. 

“Both sides discussed avenues of joint training and reiterated the need for enhancing training interactions between CENTCOM and Pakistan Army.”

The ISPR said Kurilla acknowledged Pakistan Army’s success in its fight against “terrorism” and appreciated its continued efforts to bring peace and stability to the region. 

Ties between Islamabad and Washington, once close allies, have just started to warm after some years of frosty relations, mostly due to concerns about Pakistan’s alleged support of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Pakistan denies this support. 

Relations strained further under the government of former prime minister Imran Khan, who ruled from 2018-22 and antagonized Washington throughout his tenure, welcoming the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021 and later accusing Washington of being behind attempts to oust him. Washington has dismissed the accusation. 

The government of PM Shehbaz Sharif that took over after Khan and whose term ended last year tried to mend ties but analysts widely believe the United States will not seek a significant broadening of ties with Islamabad in the near future but remain mostly focused on security cooperation, especially on counterterrorism and Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD: Left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Amir has received his travel visa but won’t make it in time to play the first T20I match against Ireland on Friday, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed. 

Amir did not travel to Ireland with Pakistan’s squad this week due to visa delay issues. Pakistan will play a three-match T20I series against the Irish side from May 10-14 in Dublin before departing for the UK where they will play against England in a four-match T20I series. 

“Fast bowler Mohammad Amir will miss the first T20I due to delays in the issuance of his visa,” the PCB said in a statement on Thursday. “He is expected to join the side on Friday.”

Amir, 32, came out of international retirement last month for the home series against New Zealand, drawn 2-2. The pacer is eyeing a spot in the 15-man squad for next month’s T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the United States.

The three-match series in Dublin is also World Cup preparation as both teams are in the same group alongside India, US and Canada.

Amir will bolster Pakistan’s pace battery which comprises the likes of Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Haris Rauf. 

Squads:

Ireland: Paul Stirling (captain), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young

Pakistan: Babar Azam (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir (unavailable for first T20I), Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan.