In a surprising turn of events, US President Donald Trump will host Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, for lunch at the White House on Wednesday. The meeting, confirmed on Trump’s official schedule, will take place in the Cabinet Room and will be closed to the press.

The invitation is being hailed as a significant diplomatic victory for Pakistan, particularly following a recent meeting between an Indian delegation and US Vice President JD Vance, which was portrayed in Indian media as a diplomatic success. Islamabad officials are framing the White House lunch as a direct counterpoint to those narratives.

The meeting also holds symbolic weight in the context of last month’s air combat between Pakistan and India, a confrontation that brought the region dangerously close to nuclear conflict. Field Marshal Munir, who recently received a five-star rank—the first such promotion in Pakistan since 1959—is currently on a five-day official visit to the US.

During his visit, Munir has been outspoken, urging India to engage with Pakistan as a “civilized nation” and rejecting Indian claims that Pakistan was responsible for a recent terrorist attack. He also addressed a large Pakistani-American community gathering, expressing strong support for Iran in its war with Israel while simultaneously backing US efforts to de-escalate the conflict.

The visit has also highlighted a strengthened counterterrorism partnership between Pakistan and the US, particularly in the fight against the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) group. US Central Command head General Michael Kurilla praised Pakistan’s role in killing dozens of IS-K militants and capturing high-value individuals, including a key mastermind of the Abbey Gate bombing in Kabul. General Kurilla specifically noted that Field Marshal Munir personally informed him of the capture.

Despite ongoing security challenges in Pakistan, including over 1,000 terrorist attacks last year, General Kurilla described Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” in counterterrorism efforts. Field Marshal Munir’s meetings have emphasized Pakistan’s gratitude for the contributions of overseas Pakistanis to the national economy, while avoiding direct discussion of domestic politics.