Pakistani Army Chief Asim Munir’s sudden change of travel plans by skipping his tour to Sri Lanka and rushing to China has the potential to garner the attention of both India and the United States, but also reflects Islamabad’s dependence on Beijing
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India keeps a close eye on the recent change in travel plans by Pakistan’s Army Chief and the newly appointed Field Marshal
Asim Munir.
The Pakistani army chief recently skipped his scheduled trip to
Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Instead, he rushed to Beijing to meet China’s foreign minister and other military officials.
The visit is being seen as a balancing act since it came at a time when Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister,
Ishaq Dar, is in Washington to meet the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
During the meeting between Munir and Wang Yi, the latter reportedly
expressed concerns about the safety and security of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions in Pakistan.
How is the visit being perceived?
Experts told The Economic Times that Pakistan’s military is attempting to work a fine balance between the US and China with an eye on countering India and asserting its relevance in South Asia.
On Thursday, MEA MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh said India has repeatedly raised its concerns regarding the US support to Pakistan’s military infrastructure.
“Government of India closely monitors all military and security-related developments in its neighbourhood and regularly takes up our concerns in this regard in our interactions with our partners at an appropriate level,” the Indian minister said in reply to a question.
With
Munir prioritising China over Sri Lanka and Indonesia, one thing remains clear: Islamabad remains heavily dependent on Beijing and can easily be swayed by China. This begs the question for Washington, DC, whether ties with Pakistan are really worth it or not.