Latest news with #AsimMalik
News18
20-06-2025
- Politics
- News18
'Where's Shehbaz Sharif?': Pakistani Media Calls Trump-Asim Munir Meet 'Unsettling'
Last Updated: Present at the meeting were not just General Munir but also Pakistan's top intelligence official, Lt Gen Asim Malik Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir's high-level meeting with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday has raised eyebrows in Pakistan, with major media outlets and political commentators describing the optics as questionable. The unusual setting — a closed-door luncheon in the White House's Cabinet Room without the presence of any Pakistani civilian leadership — has fuelled concerns about Pakistan's civil-military imbalance, both at home and across the border. As reported by Dawn, one of Pakistan's leading newspapers, June 18 marked a rare moment in US-Pakistan relations. For the first time, a sitting American president hosted a Pakistani Chief of Army Staff (COAS) in such an exclusive and high-level setting. Present at the meeting were not just General Munir but also Pakistan's top intelligence official, Lt Gen Asim Malik, who currently serves as the country's National Security Adviser. However, absent were key civilian figures — no ambassador, no foreign minister, and most notably, no Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. 'Notably absent were any Pakistani civilian officials. No ambassador, no foreign minister — only the army chief and Pakistan's top intelligence officer, Lt Gen Asim Malik, who also serves as national security adviser," the publication wrote. On the US side, Trump was joined by Secretary of State Senator Marco Rubio and Special Representative for Middle Eastern Affairs Steve Witkoff. The meeting reportedly lasted over two hours, far longer than its original one-hour schedule, according to Pakistan's military media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). ISPR issued a statement highlighting the perceived success of the visit, claiming that 'US-Pakistan relations have achieved in the last three days what India could not achieve in three decades." It also described the meeting as a sign of Pakistan gaining 'strategic priority" in Washington. Yet, back in Islamabad, the 'the scene at the Cabinet Room — Trump seated across from Pakistani generals, while Pakistan's political leadership remained invisible was unsettling in many ways," Dawn wrote. 'Structurally imbalanced': India Meanwhile, India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh criticised the optics of the meeting in an interview with Simta Prakash's podcast on ANI. 'It must be an embarrassment to any country that the Military Chief gets invited and the Prime Minister is nowhere to be seen," Singh said. He further called the situation as a 'structurally imbalanced state where the military essentially has first claim on resources." The defence secretary also pointed out that Munir's presence and Pakistan PM Sharif's absence in the White House was indicative of the power dynamics in the neighbouring country. About the Author News Desk Location : Pakistan First Published: June 20, 2025, 20:01 IST
Business Recorder
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Telephonic exchange: Pakistan NSA Asim, Iranian counterpart discuss cooperation
ISLAMABAD: National Security Advisor (NSA) Lt Gen Asim Malik and Iranian NSA Ali Akbar Ahmadian held a detailed telephone exchange on Monday. The conversation touched on a range of shared concerns, with both sides expressing interest in strengthening economic engagement and jointly addressing regional security challenges. Ahmadian stressed that Iran and Pakistan 'will not allow regional peace to be undermined by external players.' Lt Gen Asim Malik added Iran's 'positive and stabilising role' in the region and reaffirmed Pakistan's readiness to collaborate more closely with Tehran on matters of mutual interest. The phone call follows a similar exchange last week between the Iranian NSA and his Indian counterpart, suggesting a renewed diplomatic push by Tehran to enhance regional linkages.
Business Recorder
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Telephonic exchange: NSA Asim, Iranian counterpart discuss cooperation
ISLAMABAD: National Security Advisor (NSA) Lt Gen Asim Malik and Iranian NSA Ali Akbar Ahmadian held a detailed telephone exchange on Monday. The conversation touched on a range of shared concerns, with both sides expressing interest in strengthening economic engagement and jointly addressing regional security challenges. Ahmadian stressed that Iran and Pakistan 'will not allow regional peace to be undermined by external players.' Lt Gen Asim Malik added Iran's 'positive and stabilising role' in the region and reaffirmed Pakistan's readiness to collaborate more closely with Tehran on matters of mutual interest. The phone call follows a similar exchange last week between the Iranian NSA and his Indian counterpart, suggesting a renewed diplomatic push by Tehran to enhance regional linkages.
New Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
India, Pakistan NSAs talk amid border face-off
NEW DELHI: The National Security Advisors Ajit Doval of India and Lt Gen Asim Malik of Pakistan are in direct contact amid heightened military tensions between the two countries. The tensions follow India's recent strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir under Operation Sindoor. The communication between top security officials was confirmed by Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in an interview, signaling a possible effort to manage the crisis and look at de-escalation. India's operation targeted nine locations believed to house operatives of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, militant groups blamed for recent attacks in India. The strikes have led to a military face-off, with both sides maintaining heightened alert along the border. Diplomatic channels also remain active. India's chargé d'affaires in Islamabad, Geetika Srivastava, has been in contact with senior Pakistani officials and was summoned on Wednesday by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry to protest the strikes. India's operation targeted nine locations, many of them housing the operatives of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, militant groups accountable for recent attacks in India. The strikes have led to a military face-off, with both sides maintaining heightened alert along the border.
Indian Express
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
NSAs of India and Pakistan in touch; India maintains heightened security, is fully prepared for any advances
India is in touch with Pakistan through the National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Lt Gen Asim Malik and their High Commissions, even as the military of the two countries are in a face-off situation over the strikes deep inside Pakistan's territory. The Indian Express has learnt that the diplomatic channels are open, although they are in a crisis mode. The Indian charge d'affaires in Islamabad Geetika Srivastava has been in touch with key interlocutors in Islamabad. She was summoned Wednesday by the Pakistan Foreign Ministry to protest on the Indian strikes in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Sources said the two sides have been in touch, after US Secretary of State and NSA Marco Rubio had spoken to NSA Ajit Doval. A top Indian official, however, said, 'Being in touch doesn't mean being in talks.' In a way, the official sought to downplay the contacts between the two sides. Indian formations continue to be at a heightened state of security, and prepared for any advances by Pakistan after the strikes on nine locations in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan. It is important to note that Pakistan recently named Lt Gen Asim Malik, who is the DG ISI, as the NSA. Pakistan's deputy PM and Foreign minister Ishaq Dar has officially confirmed that the two NSAs have been in touch. Speaking to TRT World in an interview, Dar was questioned about whether the NSAs had spoken after the overnight action, to which he said: 'Yes there has been contact between the two.'
