Visiting dignitary receives Tri Services honor guard depending on arrival at Headquarters
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defense Staff (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces General Rodolphe Haykal meet at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi. PHOTO: ISPR
Pakistan and Lebanon discussed regional security, defense cooperation and prospects for strengthening bilateral military ties during talks between Chief of Defense Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Commander-in-Chief of Lebanese Armed Forces General Rodolphe Haykal, the army’s media wing said on Tuesday.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the two army chiefs met at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, and “the visiting dignitary was given guard of honor by an elegantly dressed Tri Services contingent on his arrival at GHQ.”
“During the meeting, both dignitaries exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, the evolution of the regional security environment, defense cooperation and prospects for improving bilateral military relations,” the statement added.
The statement said the discussions focused on strengthening professional interactions, training cooperation and institutional ties between the armed forces of the two countries.
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“CDF Munir reaffirmed the importance that Pakistan attaches to its long-standing and cordial relations with Lebanon and underlined the Pakistan Army’s commitment to expanding defense collaboration with the Lebanese Armed Forces,” ISPR said.
He added that General Rodolphe Haykal appreciated the professionalism and operational excellence of the Pakistan Armed Forces and recognized their contributions to regional peace, stability and international peacekeeping efforts.
“The visit reflected the shared commitment of both armed forces to foster closer military-to-military cooperation,” the statement concluded.
War against Lebanon
Israel invaded Lebanon in March after Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets and drones across the border. Lebanon and Israel said on June 3 that they had agreed to a ceasefire following negotiations in Washington.
Israel attacked the outskirts of Beirut on Sunday for the first time since the United States announced a truce plan for Lebanon last week, and an Iranian lawmaker threatened retaliation, putting talks to end the broader war in new jeopardy.
Iran has long said that any peace deal with the United States would depend on a ceasefire also holding in Lebanon, which Israel invaded in March in pursuit of Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters who fired across the border in solidarity with Tehran.
Trump has pressured Israel to scale back its campaign in Lebanon to make room for a peace deal with Iran, including rebuking Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with obscenities in a phone call last week. After the call, Netanyahu suspended airstrikes against Beirut and agreed to the latest truce plan with the Lebanese government.
But Israel has never completely stopped its campaign in Lebanon, which has killed thousands of people and driven hundreds of thousands from their homes. Hezbollah, which was “not a party” to the truce and would be dismantled under its terms, has also continued attacks and said it would not hand over its weapons unless Israel stopped fighting and withdrew.
The overall war has been at a standstill since the United States and Israel halted their attacks on Iran in early April, when Tehran blocked most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for Middle East oil. Washington has imposed its own blockade on Iranian ports.
Although both sides have said they are close to a preliminary agreement that would reopen the strait, they have repeatedly exchanged attacks, with escalations in recent days that have included attacks on nearby Arab states that host US bases.
