Staff Report
RAWALPINDI: US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin held a telephonic discussion with Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir and “discussed issues of mutual interest and recent regional developments,” a statement issued by the US Department of Defence said on Saturday.
Discuss Regional Developments
This was the second high-level interaction between the US and Pakistani to security officials since Gen Asim Munir took over as the army chief on November 29.
US Central Command (Centcom) chief Gen Michael Erik Kurilla last month visited Pakistan and held a meeting with the army chief.
The US defence secretary said, “today I had the opportunity to congratulate General Asim Munir, Pakistan’s newly appointed Chief of Army Staff.”
Lloyd J Austin said that Pakistan and the US have long-standing defence relationships and “I look forward to working with General Asim Munir.”
During a phone call, the defence department added, two military leaders discussed areas of mutual interest and recent regional developments.
In his, previous month’s visit to the country, General Michael Erik Kurilla met with senior army officers, observed conditions and operations along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, and discussed opportunities to strengthen the military relationship between Centcom and Pakistani armed forces.
At the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, General Kurilla met with General Asim Munir and the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Chairman, General Sahir Shamshad Mirza.
