DID Press: Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Army Chief, is expected to travel to Washington in the coming weeks for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump over Pakistan’s potential participation in a proposed multinational force aimed at stabilizing Gaza, according to a Reuters analysis.
The visit would mark Munir’s third trip to Washington in six months. Analysts say the central focus of his meeting with Trump will be the possible deployment of Pakistani troops to a so-called “Gaza Stabilization Force,” a key element of Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza’s transitional reconstruction and economic recovery. The proposal envisions a force composed largely of troops from Muslim-majority countries.
Washington has reportedly intensified pressure on Islamabad to join the initiative, placing Munir in a politically sensitive position. Many countries remain reluctant to take part in a mission linked to the disarmament of Hamas, fearing direct involvement in the conflict and backlash from pro-Palestinian public opinion at home.
Despite these risks, Munir has worked to repair years of strained U.S.-Pakistan relations and has developed close ties with Trump. In June, he was hosted at the White House — an unprecedented meeting in which a U.S. president received Pakistan’s army chief without civilian leaders.
Michael Kugelman, a senior South Asia analyst at the Atlantic Council, warned that Pakistan’s refusal to participate may anger Trump, a factor Islamabad cannot easily ignore given its interest in maintaining close ties with Washington.
Pakistan, the only Muslim-majority nuclear-armed state, faces multiple internal and regional security challenges, including militant violence and tensions along its borders. Analysts note that Munir’s elevated military and political standing has increased expectations for decisive — and risky — leadership.
While Pakistan’s foreign minister recently said Islamabad may consider troop deployment for peacekeeping purposes, he stressed that disarming Hamas is not Pakistan’s responsibility.
Munir was promoted to the rank of field marshal following a brief India-Pakistan confrontation earlier this year — a title not awarded to any Pakistani officer in nearly six decades. His term has been extended to 2030, and recent constitutional changes grant him lifetime legal immunity.
However, potential involvement in a U.S.-backed Gaza mission carries significant domestic risks. Islamist parties hostile to the U.S. and Israel, as well as supporters of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, could frame the move as aligning with Israeli objectives, potentially triggering swift and intense political backlash.