REALIGNMENT beyond history: For much of its history, Pakistan’s engagement with the United States has oscillated between transactional alliances and mutual skepticism.
Whether during the Cold War or the war on terror, Islamabad was often perceived as a partner of convenience—responding to events rather than shaping them.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s recent visit to Washington, however, signaled a break from that pattern.
It embodied strategic foresight, institutional confidence and, above all, a recalibrated assertion of national autonomy.
A triangular axis of national security: Field Marshal Munir was joined by Lieutenant General Muhammad Asim Malik, Pakistan’s new National Security Advisor and concurrently the ISI chief—a dual-role that signaled a significant evolution in Pakistan’s security framework.
Their unified presence reflected a deliberate convergence of military, intelligence and strategic policymaking under a single doctrine.
In a city used to fragmented Pakistani delegations, this cohesive front surprised many in Washington, sending a clear message of institutional alignment and strategic clarity—Pakistan now speaks with one voice and a confident, coordinated posture.
A visit driven by initiative, not emergency: Unlike previous crisis-driven engagements, this one reflected proactive diplomacy.
It was not a plea for aid but a confident effort to redefine Pakistan’s role in changing regional and global security dynamics.
Central to this posture was Operation Bunyan al-Marsous—a successful campaign that dismantled terrorist remnants and boosted morale.
It showcased Pakistan’s independent counter-militancy capability, projecting stability and resolve.
For Washington, the message was clear: Pakistan’s counter-terrorism credibility now rests on its own merit, no longer contingent on crisis or external endorsement.
Strategic autonomy as a policy doctrine: In high-level consultations with American defence and security officials, Field Marshal Munir underscored a critical theme: strategic autonomy.
No longer content with being viewed as a sub-ordinate ally or a crisis-dependent actor, Pakistan is positioning itself as a sovereign stakeholder—open to constructive engagement but unwilling to operate under the shadow of conditional partnerships.
Key talking points during the visit included: Rising regional threats, particularly the expanding intelligence cooperation between India and Israel, which Pakistan views as a destabilizing force in South Asia.
There was also an emphasis on the need for a recalibrated global counterterrorism framework—one that recognizes Pakistan as a partner in its own right, not as a suspect in perpetual need of monitoring.
Institutional defense cooperation was envisioned not as transactional or aid-based, but as long-term strategic collaboration between equals.
Reading the regional pulse: India-Israel nexus and Iranian tensions: The visit came amid escalating Iranian-Israeli tensions, with proxy strikes allegedly supported by Indian intelligence.
What began as a Middle Eastern flashpoint now threatens South Asian stability.
Pakistan warned that any trilateral intelligence coordination among India, Israel and the U.S.that undermines regional balance or its nuclear deterrent would prompt a firm response.
This was not saber-rattling, but deliberate strategic signalling—underscoring Pakistan’s resolve to protect regional stability and its own security interests.
The Pakistani delegation also urged Washington to re-evaluate its South Asia policy, especially in light of India’s growing militarization in Kashmir and beyond.
There was a clear call for balance: American indulgence of Indian ambitions, they argued, has come at the cost of regional harmony and has emboldened unilateralism.
Institutional depth over personality-driven diplomacy: Another defining feature of this visit was its institutional character.
Gone were the optics of media-heavy diplomacy or personality-centric engagements.
Instead, the focus was on sustained dialogue—between intelligence agencies, military planners and policy think tanks.
This was a marked departure from the past, where such visits often served dual purposes: one abroad and another at home for political messaging.
Field Marshal Munir’s approach was clinical and purpose-driven.
The goal was not symbolic reassurance, but the construction of a long-term framework of defense and security dialogue, embedded in process rather than theatrics.
Preparing the ground for civilian diplomacy: With the military leadership having redefined the tone of engagement, the baton now passes to Pakistan’s civilian leadership.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar are expected to engage Washington on broader policy fronts—economy, trade, climate action and digital governance.
The strategic groundwork laid by the military delegation opens space for a more balanced and multidimensional dialogue—one that situates Pakistan not merely as a regional player, but as a modern, reform-oriented state capable of contributing to global governance.
Kashmir: Strategic, not sentimental: Throughout the visit, the status of Jammu and Kashmir remained a focal point.
Field Marshal Munir, both in private briefings and semi-public exchanges, reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering position: Kashmir is not a peripheral issue—it is central to sustainable peace in South Asia.
For Pakistan, this is not about nostalgia or historical grievance—it is a live, unresolved question of international law and human rights.
Silence in the face of India’s unilateral revocation of Article 370, demographic engineering and persistent repression, the delegation warned, is tantamount to complicity.
And complicity breeds extremism, not stability.
Conclusion: From spectator to shaper: Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s visit was more than a diplomatic engagement—it was a statement of strategic maturity.
It marked Pakistan’s transition from reactive diplomacy to proactive statecraft.
No longer content with being a spectator in global affairs, Pakistan is beginning to assert itself as a shaper of its destiny—armed not just with military strength but with policy clarity.
With General Asim Malik lending intellectual depth and strategic coherence to the mission, the visit symbolized a unified civil-military narrative: one that seeks respect through readiness, relevance through reform and recognition through responsibility.
For decades, others spoke for Pakistan.
This time, it spoke for itself.
—The writer is a Supreme Court lawyer and former member & Chairman Standing Committee of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Council.Islamabad([email protected])
