US banks on Pakistan for Gaza force success

Field Marshal is expected to fly to Washington to meet Trump in the coming weeks to discuss Gaza

ISLAMABAD:

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir would likely to be a key figure in Washington's push to a successful launch of the Gaza stabilisation force.

Field Marshal is expected to fly to Washington to meet President Donald Trump in the coming weeks for a third meeting in six months that will likely focus on the Gaza force, two sources told Reuters.

Trump's 20-point Gaza plan calls for a force from Muslim nations to oversee a transition period for reconstruction and economic recovery in the war-torn Palestinian territory, decimated by over two years of Israeli military bombardment.

Many countries are wary of the mission to demilitarize Hamas, which could drag them into the conflict and enrage their pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli populations.

But the field marshal has built a close relationship with the mercurial Trump to repair years of mistrust between Washington and Islamabad. In June, he was invited to a White House lunch - the first time a US president hosted Pakistan Army chief alone, without civilian officials.

Pakistan has a battle-hardened military having gone to war with arch-rival India three times and a brief conflict this summer. It has also successfully tackled terrorism at home.

The military, the Foreign Office and the information ministry did not respond to questions from Reuters. The White House also did not respond to a request for a comment.

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said last month that Islamabad could consider contributing troops for peacekeeping but disarming Hamas "is not our job".

Over the past few weeks, the field marshal has met military and civilian leaders from countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Qatar, according to the military's statements, which analysts say appeared to be consultations on the Gaza force.

Abdul Basit, Senior Associate Fellow, S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said if things escalated once the Gaza force was on the ground, it would cause problems quickly.