Media: Pakistan army chief faces test as US pushes for Gaza troop contribution

Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, faces the most serious test of his expanded authority as the United States presses Islamabad to contribute troops to a proposed Gaza stabilisation force, a move analysts warn could trigger a sharp domestic backlash.

According to two sources familiar with the matter, Munir, widely regarded as Pakistan’s most powerful military leader in decades, is expected to travel to Washington in the coming weeks to meet U.S. President Donald Trump for the third time in six months, Caliber.Az reports, citing Reuters.

Discussions are likely to focus on Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, which envisages a force drawn from Muslim nations to oversee a transition period for reconstruction in the devastated Palestinian territory.

The proposal has made many countries wary, particularly because the mission could involve efforts to demilitarise Hamas, potentially drawing foreign troops into active conflict and inflaming pro-Palestinian sentiment at home.

Munir has cultivated unusually close ties with Trump in an effort to repair years of mistrust between Washington and Islamabad. In June, he was rewarded with a rare White House lunch, the first time a U.S. president hosted Pakistan’s army chief alone, without civilian leaders.

“Not contributing (to the Gaza stabilisation force) could annoy Trump, which is no small matter for a Pakistani state that appears quite keen to remain in his good graces,” said Michael Kugelman, Senior Fellow for South Asia at the Atlantic Council, citing Islamabad’s desire for U.S. investment and security assistance.

Earlier this month, Munir was formally appointed chief of the defence forces, extending his authority over the army, air force and navy until 2030. Constitutional amendments passed by parliament also grant him lifetime immunity from criminal prosecution.

“Few people in Pakistan enjoy the luxury of being able to take risks more than Munir. He has unbridled power, now constitutionally protected,” Kugelman said. “Ultimately, it will be Munir’s rules, and his rules only.”

However, analysts say the greatest danger lies at home. Islamist parties hostile to the U.S. and Israel retain the ability to mobilise mass protests, despite an ongoing crackdown on some groups. Opposition supporters loyal to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who remains at odds with Munir, could also seize on any Gaza deployment to challenge the military leadership.

“If things escalate once the Gaza force is on the ground, it would cause problems quickly,” said Abdul Basit of Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. “People will say ‘Asim Munir is doing Israel’s bidding’ — it will be foolhardy of anyone not to see it coming.”

By Aghakazim Guliyev