RAWALPINDI — In a significant diplomatic and military engagement, the Commander-in-Chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces, General Rodolphe Haykal, met with Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, at the General Headquarters (GHQ) today. The high-level meeting focused on enhancing bilateral military relations and evaluating the rapidly evolving security matrix in the Middle East.
Upon his arrival at the GHQ, General Haykal was presented a guard of honour by a smartly turned-out tri-services contingent, marking the formal commencement of his official visit, which comes at a critical juncture of heightened regional instability.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the two military leaders engaged in detailed discussions regarding matters of mutual interest, defense cooperation, and strategic institutional linkages.
“The discussions focused on strengthening professional interactions, training cooperation, and institutional linkages between the armed forces of the two countries,” the ISPR stated.
During the session, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s steadfast commitment to its historic ties with Lebanon. He underscored that Islamabad attaches great importance to its cordial relations with Beirut and expressed the Pakistan Army’s resolve to actively expand defense collaboration, particularly in military training and capacity building, to help stabilize the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) during these testing times.
The visit coincides with intense diplomatic activity in the region, where Pakistan has been playing an active mediation role amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict and escalating pressures on the fragile ceasefire along the Lebanese border.
Responding to Pakistan’s overtures, General Rodolphe Haykal highly appreciated the operational excellence and professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces. He acknowledged Pakistan’s long-standing contributions to international peacekeeping operations—noting that Pakistani troops have historically served under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)—and praised its ongoing role in fostering regional peace and stability.
Defense analysts view this visit as a crucial step for Lebanon as it seeks to strengthen its state institutions and defense frameworks against external security challenges, while Pakistan continues to solidify its role as a key diplomatic stabilizer in the broader Middle East landscape.
