A US-based think tank has cautioned President Donald Trump against placing trust in Pakistan, invoking its past role in Afghanistan and raising concerns about the country’s military leadership.
“Trump should not trust the Pakistanis. Pakistan was a perfidious ‘ally’ in Afghanistan, backing the Taliban while pretending to be our friends,” US-based think-tank, Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Bill Roggio told Fox News.
Field Marshal Asim Munir’s “ties to the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) should be a massive red flag for the Trump administration,” he added.
The warning comes as Trump has entrusted Pakistan with brokering a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Track US-Iran war live updates.
Trump-Munir ties
Scrutiny over Pakistan’s role is also tied to Trump’s personal rapport with Munir. After the field marshal attended a dinner with Trump at the White House last year and Pakistan formally nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, the US President has repeatedly praised him, calling Munir a “great fighter,” “exceptional man” and “my favorite field marshal.”
According to Fox News, citing Pakistani officials and media reports, the two leaders are now in direct contact.
Earlier this month, Islamabad hosted face-to-face talks involving high-level delegations from both sides, though the discussions ended without a breakthrough.
Despite the lack of immediate results, diplomatic engagement appears to be continuing, with both sides still exploring a possible agreement ahead of an April 22 ceasefire deadline.
Iran yet to respond to proposals
Even as tensions persist, officials indicate movement toward a potential deal. Pakistan’s army chief, acting as an intermediary, recently presented proposals to Tehran, according to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, reported AP.
The council said the proposals remain under review and did not disclose their contents. It added that Iran has yet to respond formally, stressing that further negotiations would depend on the United States dropping “excessive demands, and adjust its requests to the realities on the ground.”
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