Pakistan and the United States have recently seen an upswing in bilateral relations, particularly after US President Donald Trump mediated a ceasefire between Islamabad and New Delhi following a four-day military escalation in May.
Since then, Trump has frequently highlighted his role in averting what he described as a potential nuclear confrontation between the two neighbours.
On June 19, President Trump extended an unprecedented invitation to Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for a historic luncheon at the White House. The US president has since lauded Munir on several occasions, even referring to him as “my favourite field marshal.”
Field Marshal Munir became the first serving Chief of Army Staff to have a face-to-face meeting with a sitting US president after joining the US President. The occasion also marked the first time a serving Pakistani army chief had been formally received at this level, without holding political office or governing under martial law.
Previous military rulers — such as Field Marshal Ayub Khan, Gen Ziaul Haq, and Gen Pervez Musharraf — met US presidents only after they had assumed the role of head of state.
Analysts are of the view that, despite decades of military cooperation between the two nations, the optics of the meeting were without precedent.
‘Honoured’ to meet field marshal
In his first comments after the White House lunch with Field Marshal Munir, Trump told the media that he “was honoured to meet him.”
“The reason I had him (Field Marshal Munir) here was that I wanted to thank him for not going into the war [with India]. And I want to thank PM [Narendra] Modi as well, who just left a few days ago.”
Earlier, when questioned by reporters on the White House lawn about the diplomatic outcomes expected from the meeting with Field Marshal Munir, Trump remarked, “This man was extremely influential in stopping it (India-Pakistan fighting) from the Pakistan side.”
‘Exceptional human being, inspiring personality’
On June 25, the US president, while speaking about the India-Pakistan ceasefire, described a conversation with Pakistan’s army chief and praised him in personal terms.
He said: “In fact, I had the general — he was really very impressive — the general from Pakistan was in my office last week.“ The same day, the US president had described the army chief as “an exceptional human being and an inspiring personality”.
‘A great, great guy’
On September 25, before Trump was scheduled to meet PM Shehbaz and COAS during their visit to the US, the president called the army chief “a great, great guy”.
Speaking to reporters before the meeting, Trump said that a “great leader” was coming to the White House.
“We’ve got the prime minister of Pakistan coming and the field marshal … [he’s] a great, great guy and so is the prime minister, both,” he told reporters.
‘Very important guy’
On September 29, during an address at an event in Quantico, Virginia, Trump mentioned the Army chief.
“He is a very important guy in Pakistan … and I didn’t even realise it, as beautiful as he said it to a group of people who were with it … he said this man (Trump) saved millions of lives.
“I was very honoured, I loved the way he said it”, the US president said.
Lauds COAS for Gaza ceasefire proposal
Lauds COAS for Gaza ceasefire proposal
On September 30, in a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump thanked PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir for their support on a Gaza ceasefire proposal.
“The prime minister and the field marshal of Pakistan … they were with us right from the beginning. In fact, they just put out a statement that they fully believe in this pact,” Trump stated.
“They back this 100 per cent,“ he said, referring to the ceasefire proposal.
‘My favourite field marshal’
On October 13, in what was possibly Trump’s most unforgettable remark about Field Marshal Munir, Trump termed him his “favourite field marshal”.
Thanking several world leaders for their role in the Gaza peace plan, Trump also did the same for Pakistan, saying: “Prime Minister Sharif of Pakistan, and also I have to say my favourite Field Marshal from Pakistan, who is not here, but the prime minister is here and you are gonna give him his regards.”
“Where are you?” he asked as he turned around to look at the world leaders gathered in the back. Noticing PM Shehbaz in the back, Trump then called him forward and asked him to say a few words.
Field marshal, PM Shehbaz ‘great people’
Within the same week, on October 26, the US president, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit, made the following comments about the COAS while speaking about the Pakistan-Afghanistan dispute.
Speaking of PM Shehbaz and Field Marshal Munir, Trump said: “I know them both … the Pakistan field marshal and the prime minister are great people, and I know we’re gonna get that done quickly. That one started up a few days ago.“
Lauds COAS for role in Pak-India ceasefire
A day earlier, Trump, addressing a dinner with business leaders during his trip to Japan, Trump, praised the COAS and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif while claiming credit for brokering the May 10 ceasefire between India and Pakistan.
“If you look at India and Pakistan, they were going at it,” he said. “Seven brand-new, beautiful planes were shot down.
“I said to [Indian] Prime Minister Modi and I said to the Prime Minister [Shehbaz Sharif], very nice man, a very good man and the Field Marshal [Asim Munir] over in Pakistan … I said, ‘look we’re not going to do any trade if you’re going to be fighting’,” Trump said.
‘Great fighter’
On October 29 (today), Trump praised the COAS, calling him a “great fighter”, while talking about India and Pakistan at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) — which is being hosted in Gyeongju, South Korea this year.
In his comments, he said: “I’m doing a trade deal with India and I have great respect and love, as you know, for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as you know. We have a great relationship,” he said.
“Likewise, the prime minister of Pakistan is a great guy, and the field marshal — they have a field marshal. You know why he’s a field marshal? He’s a great fighter. He really is. He’s a great guy, too.“
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