United States hosts Pak Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa for a week

Less than a week after the Indian foreign minister visited Washington for intense engagement across sectors, the US government is hosting Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa for an almost week-long visit, which has led to speculations on the revival of the Pak-US security partnership.

Bajwa was expected to meet US defence secretary Lloyd Austin, National Intelligence director Avril D Haines, and CIA director William J Burns as Pakistan seeks military and economic aid, ET has learnt. Earlier, Bajwa and Austin held a telephonic conversation. During the call, matters of mutual interest, regional stability and defence and security cooperation were discussed.
Earlier, on August 18, US Central Command (Centcom) commander general Michael E Kurilla also met Gen Bajwa at the Pakistan Army General Headquarters (GHQ). Matters of mutual interest, regional security situation and stability, defence and security cooperation, particularly military-to-military ties, were discussed during the meeting.

In an interesting move, Bajwa will also meet members of various US think tanks and other scholars interested in Pakistan affairs. There are reports that the CIA and ISI have revived their forum for engagement and Islamabad is seeking support from the US, including relief in FATF, ET has further learnt.

Last week, India expressed strong reservations against the US support for Pakistani F16 fighter jets but US Secretary of State Antony Blinken defended the move on the grounds of counter-terrorism. Pakistan faced real terror threats and the package would just add to Pakistani capabilities, according to Blinken. During his US trip, S Jaishankar had pointed out that none can be fooled by such supplies to Pakistan.

Bajwa called on General Birame Diop, United Nation's Military Advisor to the Secretary General during the visit to the US. During that meeting, matters of mutual interest, and overall regional security situation including natural disasters caused by floods across the country came under discussion.

The last time Bajwa was on an official visit to the US was in 2019 along with the then prime minister Imran Khan. Pakistani officials are also trying to arrange a meeting between Bajwa and Blinken.

Meanwhile, US ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome on Monday tweeted about his visit to PoK, a move that has been noticed in New Delhi. Pakistan remains a major non-NATO ally for the US and interestingly, China has also turned a blind eye to Bajwa's visit, while Beijing has largely criticised the US' efforts to engage with countries near its borders. It may be recalled that Pakistan played a key role in developing US-China ties.