'Democracy Undermined': How Trump's Invitation To Asim Munir Bypasses Elected Govt In Pakistan

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Last Updated:June 19, 2025, 21:39 IST

Pakistani government sources said the meeting shows that in Pakistan, it is the army and not the elected government that holds authority in foreign policy and national security

Democracy is being undermined in Pakistan, starkly visible in US President Donald Trump’s lunch invitation to Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, government sources told CNN-News18.

According to Pakistani government sources, Trump’s invitation to Field Marshal Munir bypasses those elected to power. It demonstrates the perception that in Pakistan, it is the army and not the elected government that holds ultimate authority in foreign policy and national security matters.

The sources said summoning Munir to the Oval Office further weakens former prime minister Imran Khan’s struggle to get out of jail, where he has been lodged against allegedly trumped up charges. All civilian matters discussed is also an insult to the democratic government in power – represented by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari.

They said Pakistan’s democracy is under threat from the army now because involving a military leader in civil matters is a serious issue for a coalition government. The army chief not only engaged with Trump on security issues but also on matters like trade, economic development, and cryptocurrency, they added.

These domains are traditionally managed by the elected government, the sources said. Trump engaging Munir at a high level is, however, not his individual decision. It is a strategic decision cleared by top intelligence officials and attended by representatives to convince Munir, they said.

The US knows the Pakistani army has a role in politics and governance, and this meeting only weakens the standing of democratic institutions internationally, they added.

Former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, also expressed strong contempt towards the meeting saying Munir cannot be trusted, as he brought back into public memory how time and again the Pakistani military has played a “double game" with the US by taking its aid and, at the same time, providing sanctuary to those killing Americans.

In a post on X, Khalilzad said, “President Trump knows that the Pakistani military has long played a double game with us. During the years of our military presence in Afghanistan, Pakistan took our assistance and at the same time provided support and sanctuary to those who were killing our forces. Similarly, during the war on terror after 9/11, the Pakistani military selectively helped both us and the al-Qaida terrorists. Where did we find Bin Laden? All cosy in Pakistan near one of Pakistan’s military facilities. And Pakistan still holds Dr. Afidi, who helped us find and eliminate Bin Laden."

It is a great gift and honor that @Potus is bestowing on Pakistan's General Asim Munir by hosting him for lunch. Besides Indo-Pakistan relations, the General is likely to have the following on his agenda: 1. Get US investment in Pakistan's minerals via military-owned companies,…— Zalmay Khalilzad (@realZalmayMK) June 18, 2025

Trump hosted Munir for lunch at the White House on Wednesday (June 18). Khalilzad noted in his post that the Pakistani military official would likely have had five agendas – Indo-Pakistan ties, US investment into Pakistan’s minerals via military-owned companies and trade, subcontract the protection of US interests in Afghanistan, be a channel for communication with China, and greater legitimacy.

Trump, however, praised Munir for his role in preventing the escalation of the conflict between India and Pakistan. “The reason I had him here was I wanted to thank him for not going into the war and ending it…" he said.

The last Pakistani military leader to meet a sitting US President was General Pervez Musharraf in 2001, who did so as the nation’s head of state during his tenure as a military dictator.