Question:
Regarding the visit of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Asim Munir, to the United States, the army media wing, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), stated on 20 December 2023, that, “COAS highlighted that Pakistan desires to broaden bilateral engagement with the US through long term multi domain partnership. He highlighted that his interactions during the visit to the U.S. with Political and Military leadership have been very positive and forward looking for further strengthening the relationship.” (Source: No PR-220/2023-ISPR). The ISPR had announced on 10 December 2023 that, “General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff has left today for United States of America (USA) on an official visit. This is General Syed Asim Munir’s first visit to USA as COAS.” (Source: No PR-212/2023-ISPR).
What is meant by “broaden bilateral engagement with the US through long term multi domain partnership?” and what is meant by “his interactions during the visit to the U.S. with Political and Military leadership have been very positive?” Does this mean more alliance with the American colonialists, especially over the issue of India and Kashmir… then also towards Afghanistan… and also to prevent the support for the people of Palestine, in the face of Jewish aggression, followed by acceptance of the entity of the Jews, under the banner of the two-state solution? Thank you.
Answer:
To answer the questions, we review the following:
1- The appointment of Asim Munir was announced in the media as the incoming Chief of Army Staff on 24 November 2022, succeeding General Qamar Javed Bajwa, on 29 November 2022. Asim Munir’s appointment was upon the recommendation and approval of the pro-American prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif. This indicates America’s desire to appoint him as army chief, with an expectation that he will comply to its demands, just as Bajwa complied and collaborated with the United States… His appointment came at a time when Pakistan was suffering from an economic crisis. He is a person who can guarantee the flow of money from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. That is because he served as a Lieutenant-Colonel in Saudi Arabia and enjoys good relations there… The Express Tribune reported on 5 January 2023, “Observers believe that the army chief’s visit will play a crucial role and may pave the way for much-needed financial assistance.”
Asim Munir has been part of a military regime that is entirely affiliated with America… He rose through ranks in both security intelligence and military troop command posts. As Major-General, he was the commander of troops deployed in the Northern Areas of Pakistan, between the years 2014-2016, as Force Commander North Areas (FCNA). Then he also served as Director-General of Military Intelligence from 2016-2018. After promotion to Lieutenant-General, he was subsequently appointed as Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence between 2018-2019, initially. He engaged in the tribal regions. He is one of the pillars of the Pakistani regime affiliated with the United States… Then he was dismissed from the intelligence post in 2019, by a decision of the former Prime Minister Imran Khan, without giving any reason. Faiz Hameed was appointed in his place, in this post. There had been a dispute between Imran Khan and the army over the appointment of the army chief, who will succeed Bajwa, when his term was to end on 29 November 2022. It was reported that Imran Khan was in disagreement with Asim Munir, who is close to Bajwa. Imran wanted to appoint Faiz Hameed, as Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence, who is considered close to Imran. It appears that Imran Khan was seeking to impose his will on the army as prime minister, so that he would not remain under the army’s control. The army acts as a guardian of the government and imposes on it the policies it wants. Due to this dispute, Imran Khan was dismissed in April 2022. Then lawsuits were filed against him on charges of corruption and divulging state secrets. It was stated in the Question and Answer of 5 May 2022, “As we said above, Imran Khan did not expect that after all his service to the army, and behind it, America, would be of no help to him! It is as if Imran did not realize that whoever comes to power with the support of the colonialist kuffar, as an agent for them, becomes like a chess piece for them. They move him as they like.
Moreover, they dispose of him as they like, without hesitation, if he does not achieve their interests. This was what happened to Imran Khan!” Thus, America did not protest the overthrow of Imran Khan. America was tacitly agreeing to the deposing of Imran, whist knowing well that he is America’s agent. As for Asim Munir, Bajwa and Faiz Hameed, they all agreed with America to the annexation of Kashmir to India in 2019. They were on a visit to the United States and met with its President, Donald Trump, two weeks before the annexation. They did not take any serious action to respond to the annexation. Instead, they agreed to that implicitly to please Washington, out of concern for their positions, and some narrow interests. America supported the army’s control over the government and over the people’s necks. This is because the army’s leadership became tied to the United States, and achieved its colonialist interests. This is unlike the political medium, in which there are agents for America, as well as agents for Britain. America could not guarantee the loyalty of the civilian government to it, if the agents in this political medium changed.
2- The army’s media wing, the ISPR, announced on 10 December 2023 that, “General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), Chief of Army Staff has left today for United States of America (USA) on an official visit. This is General Syed Asim Munir’s first visit to USA as COAS.” (Source: No PR-212/2023-ISPR). The Egyptian As-Shorouk News, 11 December 2023, quoted the Pakistani newspaper, The Express Tribune as saying, on 4 December 2023, “A senior Biden Administration official dealing with refugee issues will begin a four-day trip to Islamabad from Monday (today) in the first of a series of visits by American officials amid deteriorating ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Julieta Valls Noyes, the US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureaus of Population, Refugees and Migration will reach Islamabad today. She will stay in the federal capital until Thursday.” The Express Tribune then reported on 7 December 2023, “Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir on Thursday said illegal foreigners residing in the country were “seriously affecting Pakistan’s security and economy as he backed the interim government’s decision to deport them… Illegal foreigners are being repatriated to their countries in a humane and dignified manner as per the established norms.”” Here, the extent of America’s interference in Pakistan’s domestic affairs appears. It includes the issue of refugees, which is an issue related to the Afghans who took refuge in Pakistan because of war. They have been residing in their adopted country for years, some of them for decades… They are not foreigners, but from a single land of Muslims. America is the one who is working to exploit the disputes between the two Muslim countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, to put these disputes to work for America, in order to consolidate American influence in the region… Thus, America wants to make relations tense between the Muslims, and prevent their unity. Then Pakistan is to be preoccupied with tensions with Afghanistan, instead of being preoccupied with fighting India to liberate Kashmir! India thus ensures that the front with Pakistan is secured, so that the Modi government can focus its energies on serving the United States, in its conflict with China.
3- The Arabic web site “Al-Ma’rifa” reported on 15 December 2023 from Pakistan’s Dawn Newspaper, in its report of 14 December, that, “Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir commenced his first working day in Washington on Wednesday with a meeting with the US defence secretary at the Pentagon. The Pentagon issued a brief statement after the meeting, saying: “Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin III hosted Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir at the Pentagon today, where the two officials discussed recent regional security developments and potential areas for bilateral defense co-operation.” On 15 December 2023, the Dawn reported, “the army chief called on key government and military officials including US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, Secretary of Defence (retired) General Lloyd J. Austin, Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q Brown.” The US State Department spokesperson Mark Miller stated on 13 December 2023, “generally speaking we look forwards to partnering with the Pakistani Government on regional security and defense cooperation. We have taken a number of steps to partner with them this year on antiterrorism activities… And we fund several counterterrorism capacity building programs in Pakistan focused on law enforcement and justice, and we look forward to carrying out that work.” Dawn Newspaper reported on 15 December 2023, that, ““Pakistan is an important partner, and we engage with a wide range of interlocutors within the Pakistani government,” said a US State Department spokesperson when asked for comments on Secretary Blinken’s meeting with the Pakistan army chief.” The US State Department spokesman, Mark Miller, answered a question about the meeting of the Pakistani army chief and the ISI chief with Anthony Blinken, by saying, “We look forward to partnering with them on regional security and defense cooperation…” (Source: US State Department website, www.state.gov 18/12/2023)
All of this goes to show the broad range of military, security, and even political, meetings of Pakistan’s army chief, as if he were the head of state!… It is not unlikely that America resets matters in Pakistan, through the broadening of the meetings. It wants to verify that its men, and their policies inside Pakistan, are what it wants. This is especially since the elections in Pakistan are approaching, in February 2024, if they are not postponed… Thus, even though these meetings appear to be under the banner of “cooperation,” in reality they are loyalty to America… What is strange and surprising is that the army commander, Asim Munir, a memorizer of Quran, appears to be so religious that some quarters have even called him a “mullah general,” meaning a religious man (sheikh)! However, he declares an alliance with the United States, following its plans and implementing its goals, and opening the way for it to extend its influence in the region, under the banner of security and defense partnership and cooperation… it is as if he does not realize that true religiosity in Islam requires loyalty to Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), and not loyalty to the kuffar… Allah (swt) said,
[يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَتُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ سُلْطَاناً مُبِيناً]“O believers! Do not take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Would you like to give Allah a solid evidence against yourselves.” [TMQ Surah An-Nisaa 4:144]. Religiosity is not mere lip-service! Allah (swt) said,
[أَفَلَا يَعْقِلُونَ] “Do they not understand?” [TMQ Surah Yasin 36:68].4- The army’s media wing, the ISPR, reported on 19 December 2023, that “General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), COAS called on General Michael Erik Kurilla, Commander United States Central Command during visit to Headquarters Central Command at Tampa Bay, Florida. During the meeting, matters of shared interests, particularly cooperation in regional security matters came under discussion. Both sides discussed avenues of joint training and reiterated the need for enhancing training interactions between CENTCOM and Pakistan Army. COAS also visited CENTCOM Joint Operations Center during the visit.” (Source: No PR-219/2023-ISPR) On 18 December 2023, the spokesman for the US State Department, Mark Miller, said, of Asim Munir, that, “he was in Washington to meet with a number of officials, including officials here at the State Department, including officials at the Pentagon and elsewhere. Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally of the United States and a NATO partner. We look forward to partnering with them on regional security and defense cooperation.” (Source: www.state.gov)
From all this it becomes clear how important the visit, and how important the man, Pakistan’s army chief, are to the American administration. His meetings with American officials were at the highest levels. Their discussion with him was over important issues. The focus was on security and defense cooperation. That is so that Pakistan is the spearhead of the United States in the region, to fight Muslim movements against America, and to maintain American influence in the region. America does not limit itself to political agents. Instead it extends to military agents, under the banner of engagement “with a wide range of interlocutors within the Pakistani government.” It considers Pakistan an important partner, that is, an important servant of its policies in the region, considering that it has Pakistan as a major non-NATO ally of the United States and a NATO partner, since 2004.
5. The army’s media wing, the ISPR, reported on 20 December 2023, that, “General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), COAS engaged in a candid discourse with members of prominent US think tanks and media. COAS, during the interaction, put across Pakistan’s perspective on regional security, transnational terrorism and importance of maintaining strategic stability in South Asia.” [Source: No PR-220/2023-ISPR]. The ISPR further stated, “COAS said that Pakistan is a country of consequence both from geopolitical and geoeconomic perspective and wishes to develop itself as a hub of connectivity and a gateway to Central Asia and beyond, however, eschews Bloc Politics and believes in maintaining balanced relationships with all friendly countries.” The ISPR confirmed that “COAS highlighted that Pakistan desires to broaden bilateral engagement with the U.S through long term multi domain partnership. He highlighted that his interactions during the visit to the U.S with Political and Military leadership have been very positive and forward looking for further strengthening the relationship.” The ISPR also stated, “COAS also highlighted that Pakistan has stood as a bulwark against transnational terrorism for decades for ensuring regional stability and global peace and security.”
The ISPR clarified, “It has made unparalleled contributions and sacrifices in its enduring fight against terrorism and will continue to fight till logical end, in line with the aspirations of people Pakistan.” It confirmed that, “COAS also stressed upon the need for resolution of Kashmir Issue as per the aspirations of the people of Kashmir and the UNSC Resolutions.” It also stated in the same press release, “COAS also emphatically highlighted the immediate need for ending the sufferings in Gaza, provision of humanitarian assistance and implementation of two state solution for enduring peace in the region.”
6- Here, the Pakistani army chief focuses on his desire to expand alliance with America, and his loyalty to it, under the banner of “bilateral engagement.” Asim Munir wants it to be a “long term multi domain partnership” that is, in all issues. He wants to make Pakistan a fortress for America to fight the Ummah, and its movement for liberation, under the banner of fighting cross-border terrorism, that is, warring with Afghanistan in particular, and other Islamic Lands in general. This is whilst knowing that all these Islamic Lands constitute one land that was divided. Its dividing, nationalist borders were drawn by the colonialists, who were occupying these countries. The colonialists divided them into warring countries, so that they would remain weak and unable to do anything. Thus, the colonialists would be able to control and colonialize the Islamic Lands, and use each of them against each other.
As for Kashmir, General Munir’s visit to Washington coincided with the Indian Supreme Court’s support for the annexation of the part of Kashmir controlled by India, in a merger with the Indian Union. On 11 December 2023, Al-Jazeera reported, “India’s Supreme Court has upheld the government’s decision to revoke special status for the state of Jammu and Kashmir… a panel of five judges unanimously ruled to uphold Modi’s decision, confirming the claim that the special status for Jammu and Kashmir had been only temporary.” India did not take this step without America’s approval and support. Yet Pakistan’s army chief still visits the United States, forgetting, or making himself forget, America’s support for India and America’s hostility against Pakistan! Then, the army chief considered the Kashmir issue to be international, to be resolved in accordance with the unjust United Nations’ resolutions. This is whilst knowing that the Kashmir issue is an Islamic issue, and it is a land occupied by India. Pakistan must arise and liberate Kashmir. It must help the people of Kashmir to resist the Hindu occupation and arrogance. This is especially so since Pakistan is capable of doing so. The Kashmiri jihadi movements almost defeated India with the support of Pakistani Army in the Kargil Conflict in 1999, had it not been for the betrayal by the Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, and the Chief of Army Staff, Pervez Musharraf, at the time. This was when the United States ordered them to stop this support, and withdraw the Pakistani armed forces. Then America ordered Pakistan to declare the Kashmiri movements as terrorists.
As for the brutal aggression of the Jews against Gaza and the two-state solution about which Pakistan’s army chief said, “implementation of two state solution for enduring peace in the region,” Palestine is a Blessed Land… It is an Islamic land over which the Jews have no right to have authority. The two-state solution has no place in its case. Instead, it must be as ‘Umar Al-Farouq (ra) opened it, the Khulafa’a Rashidoon (ra) protected it, and Salahudin liberated it and the Khaleefah Abdul al-Hamid II preserved it from the Jews… Thus, Palestine is an Islamic land… It is not offered for sale. It does not accept division between its people and the one who occupied it, and expelled its people from it… Its solution is not two states. Instead, its true solution is as Allah (swt), Al-Jabaar, Al-Azeez, said,
[وَاقْتُلُوهُمْ حَيْثُ ثَقِفْتُمُوهُمْ وَأَخْرِجُوهُمْ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَخْرَجُوكُمْ] “And kill them wherever you find them, and expel them from where they expelled you.” [TMQ Surah Al-Baqarah 2:191].7. The problem lies in the mentality of the rulers of Pakistan and its military leadership, and their erroneous way of thinking. They have made themselves a vehicle for America. This is even though they have the enormous potential to become a major power that challenges and competes with America. This is only if they deal with their issues and problems themselves, according to the concepts and standards of their Deen, which was revealed upon the Messenger of Allah (saw) by Allah (swt), Al-Qawwi, Al-Azeez. It is the Deen that rescued the Arabs from the infighting of the pre-Islamic times of Jahiliyyah (ignorance). They were made, through Islam, the best Ummah ever brought forwards for humanity… It is the Ummah that opened Persia and it uprooted the Persian state, whilst Persia was a major power at the time… It is the Ummah that opened Constantinople, the capital of the Romans, whilst Rome was also a major power at the time… Islam and the Muslims were dignified by a state which illuminated the world with justice. Then the truth was established, whilst falsehood perished, indeed, falsehood is only to perish… and this is what Hizb ut Tahrir is calling upon you to achieve by re-establishing the state of Islam, the Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of the Prophethood. Allah (swt) promised,
[وَعَدَ اللهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ]“Allah (swt) promised those who believe amongst you, and do righteous deeds you, that He (swt) will grant them succession in authority on the earth, as He granted for those before them.” [TMQ Surah An-Nur 24:55]. Ahmad narrated that the Messenger of Allah (saw) gave glad tidings that,
«ثُمَّ تَكُونُ مُلْكاً جَبْرِيَّةً فَتَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةً عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ»
“Then there will be an oppressive rule, and it will remain as long as Allah (swt) willed. Then He (swt) will end it as He (swt) willed to end it. Then there will be the Khilafah (Caliphate) on the Method of Prophethood.” Then the he (saw) fell silent. (Extracted by Ahmad).
21 Jumada al-Akhirah 1445 AH
3 January 2024 CE
