News Desk |
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa accompanied Prime Minister Imran Khan on his 3 day visit to the United States. He met top defense officials and was greeted with full military honors.
The COAS visited Pentagon, where he met the US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) General Joseph F. Dunford. He also met with the current Chief of Staff of the United States Army General Mark A. Milley who is President Donald Trump’s pick for the next army chief.
Read more: India left out – Imran Khan and Army Chief join forces with US
A press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the COAS had been given a guard of honor at the Pentagon and given a 21 gun salute.
The Army Chief also met the acting Secretary of Defense Richard Spencer. The high level meetings discussed issues of regional security with a special emphasis on the security situation in Afghanistan.
The meeting also discussed matters related to increasing military cooperation between the two countries.
A tweet by the Director General of the ISPR, Major General Asif Ghafoor said that the US representatives at the Pentagon had acknowledged Pakistan’s contribution towards fighting terrorism and towards aiding the Afghan peace process.
COAS interacted with US Military leadership at Pentagon. Regional security situation and bilateral military cooperation discussed. US leadership acknowledged contributions of Pakistan Army in war against terrorism and role towards Afghan peace process. (1 of 2). pic.twitter.com/E0XrHgYhpd
— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) July 23, 2019
The COAS also met Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the US State Department, where the way forward about the Afghan peace process was discussed. THE COAS also met US Senator Lindsey Graham.
Read more: Army Chief in Washington: Bilateral Military Cooperation on Afghan Peace Process & Regional Security
General Bajwa also visited the Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place of some of the US’s greatest military heroes. The national anthem of both countries was played at the ceremony. A clip of the Pakistani anthem also went viral on social media.
پاکستان کے آرمی چیف قمر جاوید باجوہ کی پینٹاگون آمد کے موقع پر قومی ترانہ بجا کر ان کا شاندار استقبال کیا گیا : pic.twitter.com/WTT3m29Raz
— Siasat.pk (@siasatpk) July 25, 2019
The COAS was also part of the Prime Minister’s delegation that called on President Trump at the White House. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi later said that the prime minister decided to bring the country’s top generals to Washington because the discussions involved economic, political and security issues.