Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir is on his first official visit to Saudi Arabia. On Sunday, COAS Asim Munir performed Umrah and the doors of the Holy Kaaba were exclusively opened for him.
The doors of the Holy Kaaba were opened for General Asim Munir in a display of extraordinary hospitality. Gen Asim Munir, who is a Hafiz-e-Quran, offered prayers inside Kaaba. The video of the top army chief exiting the mosque with his family is going viral on social media.
COAS General Asim Munir also visited Masjid-e-Nabwi, the second holiest mosque in Islam, with Saudi security personnel escorting the military commander.
The custodians of the Kaaba 🕋, at the Grand Mosque of #Makkah in #SaudiArabia, open the door of the holiest building in Islam, for the chief of #Pakistan Army #COAS General Asim Munir and his family. pic.twitter.com/RcQASeKwmA
— Ahmed Quraishi (@_AhmedQuraishi) January 8, 2023
COAS Asim Munir also met the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman and “reviewed bilateral relations and the ways of enhancing them,” as per the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Early Monday, the SPA shared pictures of the crown prince’s reception for the army chief at his winter camp in the Saudi city of AlUla.
Read more: COAS Asim Munir talks military cooperation with Saudi Arabia on first foreign trip
During the reception, the army chief and the Saudi crown prince reviewed bilateral relations and the ways of enhancing them, in addition to a number of issues of common concern. The reception was also attended by Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and National Security Adviser Dr. Musaed bin Muhammad al Aiban.
سمو #ولي_العهد وقائد الجيش الباكستاني يستعرضان العلاقات الثنائية وفرص تطويرها.https://t.co/ZG0rWCkOwU#واس pic.twitter.com/3PhYTaPcc0
— واس الأخبار الملكية (@spagov) January 9, 2023
Earlier in the week, COAS also met Saudi Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud in Riyadh where the two leaders discussed enhancing the military and defense cooperation between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. At the outset of the meeting, the Saudi defense minister also congratulated Gen Munir on his appointment as the army chief.
Gen Munir took over the command of the Pakistan Army from Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in November of last year at a ceremony held at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. With the change of command, Gen Munir became the 17th army chief.
Read more: Will Gen Asim overcome the country’s security challenges?