Trump hails Field Marshal Asim Munir’s praise as ‘honour’ after ceasefire role

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said he considered the words of Pakistan’s Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir to be “an honour”, after the army chief praised him for helping prevent a major war between Pakistan and India.
Trump revealed that the top Pakistani general had commended his role in halting the conflict and saving millions of lives, a remark the US leader said left a lasting impression on him.
The statement came as Trump met American military leaders at the White House, where he also spoke of his meetings with Munir and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The president stressed that the army chief had made his remarks in the presence of others, including two generals, further underscoring their weight.
Trump said the Field Marshal told him that had the war taken place, the consequences would have been far worse. “I really liked his comment,” the president admitted, while adding that such recognition from an influential military figure was significant. He also noted that both Israel and Arab leaders had already endorsed his broader peace proposals, while Hamas had been given three to four days to respond. According to Trump, failure by Hamas to accept the proposals could lead to “a very unfortunate outcome.”
Trump and Field Marshal Munir first met in July over lunch in the Cabinet Room of the White House. During that encounter, Munir reportedly acknowledged Trump’s statesmanship and ability to deal with complex international challenges. Their second meeting came earlier this month at the White House, alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
During the Oval Office discussions, Shehbaz Sharif described Trump as a “man of peace” whose decisive actions had helped secure a ceasefire between Pakistan and India. A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said the US president’s intervention had averted what could have become a “major catastrophe” in South Asia.