lslamabad: Pakistan’s international stature is rising after former US President Donald Trump publicly embraced Army Chief General Asim Munir, calling him a “great guy” and claiming to have brokered a ceasefire that averted a potential South Asian conflict. The development has been welcomed in Islamabad, where officials described the May clash with India as a diplomatic and strategic victory, Bloomberg reported Friday.
According to a US Congress report, Pakistan has moved from being an “afterthought” in Washington’s South Asia strategy to a country of growing importance, as Trump’s relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi soured amid high US tariffs on Indian goods.
As Trump spars with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he’s embraced Munir, the formerly obscure commander elevated to a national hero in the wake of the India clash, Bloomberg noted. Trump has reportedly praised Munir repeatedly, putting him on par with Modi in discussions about regional security.
The shift has revived Pakistan’s image as a regional power, though it has unsettled Washington’s bipartisan consensus. Kurt Campbell, US deputy secretary of state in the Biden administration, warned that the breakdown in US-India relations could cause “lasting damage,” while analysts argue that a robust US-Pakistan relationship could give America leverage over India.
In Pakistan, Munir’s stature has surged following the May confrontation, which officials framed as a success. We defended ourselves and we won, said State Minister for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani. The event reportedly strengthened alignment between Pakistan’s military and civilian leadership, according to geopolitical analysts.
Pakistan has also sought to align with US priorities, including cryptocurrency regulation and counterterrorism, while enjoying lower US tariffs on its exports compared to India.
Beyond the US, Pakistan has strengthened ties with Saudi Arabia, signing an economic pact last month, shortly after finalizing a mutual-defense agreement. Not only the Americans, but the world everywhere, they find in Pakistan right now a leadership that despite all the challenges is handling the affairs in a great manner,” said General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistan’s top military spokesman.
However, Pakistan faces the challenge of balancing relations between the US and China, its top supplier of weapons and infrastructure. Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb emphasized Islamabad’s dual engagement strategy. They both know that we are well engaged on both ends.
The US has also shown interest in Pakistan’s mineral resources. US Strategic Metals signed a memorandum of understanding in September to develop rare earth minerals, following a meeting with Munir and other executives in Florida. We’d like this to become a political win for America, said USSM commercial director Mike Hollomon.