Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, is slated to travel to the United States this week to take part in commemorative events marking the 250th anniversary of the US Army in Washington, DC, according to high-level sources.

Munir is expected to attend a military parade scheduled for Saturday, coinciding with former US President Donald Trump’s 79th birthday. His trip follows a formal invitation from US authorities and comes at a time of heightened strain between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Sources indicate that during his stay, Munir is also likely to engage in discussions with senior figures from the US State Department and the Pentagon. However, neither Islamabad nor Washington has issued an official confirmation of these anticipated engagements.

The timing of the visit is notable, coming just days after US Central Command (CENTCOM) chief General Michael Kurilla offered strong praise for Munir. Speaking at a congressional hearing earlier this week, Kurilla described Pakistan as “a phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world” and highlighted its key role in operations targeting ISIS-Khorasan.

South Asia expert Michael Kugelman weighed in on the development, suggesting that a meeting at CENTCOM could be part of Munir’s itinerary. “He and Gen Kurilla have met three times in under two years. Kurilla’s recent remarks underscore the strong military ties between the two countries,” Kugelman posted on social media.

Munir’s visit, however, has provoked criticism in India. Congress party leader Jairam Ramesh labelled the US invitation a “major diplomatic failure” for India, pointing to Munir’s inflammatory remarks before the recent terrorist assault in Pahalgam.

“That the US would welcome someone who made such provocative statements ahead of the Pahalgam attacks — which left 26 dead and triggered Operation Sindoor — raises serious questions. This is a setback for our diplomatic efforts,” Ramesh wrote on X.

In response to the Pahalgam incident, India has intensified its campaign to diplomatically isolate Pakistan, sending multi-party delegations to over 30 global capitals and the European Union as part of a broader counter-terrorism initiative.

Meanwhile, Munir’s presence in the US is expected to draw protests from the Pakistani diaspora. The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by former Prime Minister Imran Khan, has announced demonstrations in Washington to coincide with the army chief’s visit.

“No deal with this regime will be accepted by the people of Pakistan,” PTI’s Secretary for Overseas Affairs, Sajjad Burki, posted on X. He called on Pakistani-Americans to join a planned protest outside the Pakistan Embassy on June 14.

Flyers promoting the protest have reportedly been distributed across Pakistani-American communities in the Washington area, according to sources.