 "(File) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir (C) prays after laying wreath on the martyrs' monument during a guard of honor ceremony at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on May 21, 2025. Photo by Handout/ Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). AFP")
Congress MP and leader Shashi Tharoor has taken a dig at Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s lunch meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Commenting on the White House reporting that Munir nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, Tharoor said, “According to the White House, this general had said that the president should get the Nobel peace prize, and then he was rewarded with a lunch. I hope the food was good and he has also got some food for thought in the process.”
Trump and Munir reportedly discussed a wide range of topics, including India and Pakistan, wherein the Pakistani general expressed his gratitude to the president for preventing a potential nuclear war following the Pahalgam terror attack.
On Trump’s mediation claims, Tharoor said, “We welcome any pressure the US may have on Pakistan. But we did not ask for it. We did not request anyone’s mediation.”
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a phone call with Trump on Wednesday, where he rejected his claims of US mediation.
‘Working on trade deals with India, Pak’
After their luncheon meeting, Trump said, “The reason I had him here was I wanted to thank him for not going into the war and ending the war. Prime Minister Modi just left a little while ago, and we are working on a trade deal with India.”
The president further said that his administration is also working on reaching a trade deal with Pakistan, adding that he is “very happy” that “two very smart people decided not to keep going with the war.”
The White House has confirmed that the meeting was arranged in response to Munir’s public remarks praising Trump’s role in de-escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries.
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The duo also discussed the ongoing situation in West Asia triggered by Israel’s strikes against Iran and the following retaliatory attacks.
“They know Iran very well, better than most, and they’re not happy about anything. They see what’s going on. And he agreed with me,” Trump said.