Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir has been met with a warm reception in the United States, marked by an appreciation campaign prominently displayed on the iconic Times Square billboard in New York City (NYC).
Field Marshal Munir is currently undertaking a week-long visit to the US, reportedly at the invitation of American military leadership. The billboard at Times Square showcases images of COAS Munir, who was elevated to the rank of Field Marshal just last month, alongside Pakistan’s national flag.
The video featured on the billboard also depicts the Field Marshal interacting with a group of US senators and Pakistani children. This visual representation portrays Pakistan as a forward-thinking nation, demonstrating a keen interest in education, technology, and peace.
The Times Square campaign is scheduled to run for a duration of one week. It has been initiated by the local administration as a gesture of welcome to the Pakistani military leader, who has garnered widespread commendation for his instrumental role in the recent conflict with India.
Prior to COAS Munir’s arrival in Washington, Commander of the United States Central Command (Centcom) General Michael Kurilla extended high praise to Field Marshal Munir and the Pakistan Army.
During his testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, General Kurilla lauded Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world,” emphasizing Islamabad’s significant contributions to operations against Daesh-Khorasan.
He stated, “Through a phenomenal partnership with Pakistan, they have gone after Daesh-Khorasan, killing dozens of them. Through a relationship we have with them, providing intelligence, they have captured at least five Daesh-Khorasan high-value individuals.”
Kurilla specifically mentioned Mohammad Sharifullah alias Jafar, who was allegedly involved in the 2021 Kabul airport suicide bombing that resulted in the deaths of 13 American military personnel and over 160 civilians. He further disclosed that following Jafar’s arrest, “the first person Munir called was me and said, ‘I’ve caught him, I’m willing to extradite him back to the US. Please tell the secretary of defence and the president.’”
