ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir highlighted Pakistan’s significance as a hub of regional connectivity during his visit to the United States, said an official statement on Wednesday, adding it did not want to participate in bloc politics.
The army chief started his first official visit to the US last week on Tuesday since his appointment as the top army commander in November 2022.
General Munir held meetings with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Llyod Austin along with other high-profile American security officials.
According to the army’s media wing, ISPR, he also engaged in candid discourse with prominent members of US think tanks and media organizations.
“COAS said that Pakistan is a country of consequence both from geopolitical and geo-economic perspective and wishes to develop itself as a hub of connectivity and a gateway to Central Asia and beyond,” the statement said.
“However, [it wants to] eschew Bloc Politics and believes in maintaining balanced relationships with all friendly countries,” it added.
Pakistan’s army chiefs have also visited the US in the past since the two states were strong Cold War allies and jointly worked on a wide spectrum of issues ranging from regional stability to fighting militancy.
The army chief highlighted his country’s desire to broaden bilateral engagements with Washington by strengthening long-term, multidomain partnership.
He noted that Pakistan had stood as a bulwark against transnational militancy for decades to ensure global peace and regional stability.
General Munir also presented Pakistan’s perspective on the Kashmir issue while calling for its resolution.
“Kashmir is an internationally accepted dispute and no unilateral action can alter the nature of this dispute against the wishes of millions of people of the area,” he said during his conversations.
The Supreme Court of India upheld New Delhi’s August 2019 decision to revoke the special constitutional status for the state of Jammu and Kashmir this month while setting a deadline of September 30 next year to hold local polls in the Himalayan region.
The army chief also emphasized the need for ending the suffering of innocent Palestinians in Gaza that has witnessed Israeli airstrikes and military offensive since Oct. 7.
He said it was imperative to provide humanitarian assistance to the residents of the Palestinian territory and implement two-state solution for lasting peace in the region.
