Overview

• Asif said civilian leaders and the army decide by consensus and that disagreements can be handled by “agreeing to disagree.”
• He rejected the notion that General Asim Munir holds greater political power, calling himself a political appointee and party worker.
• Pressed on comparisons with the United States, he said the US operates under a different model he termed a “deep state.”
• He characterized ties with Washington as transactional or flirtatious and reiterated that China remains Pakistan’s most reliable ally.
• The messaging followed White House optics where President Donald Trump hosted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Asim Munir in the Oval Office, with Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio present.