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A US Afghanistan War Commission delegation met Field Marshal Asim Munir in Rawalpindi on Monday. The talks highlighted Pakistan's wartime role and its relevance to the wider US review.
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Islamabad,Sep 28, 2026 22:22 IST
A delegation from the US Afghanistan War Commission met Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Monday and discussed matters of mutual interest, the regional security situation and developments in Afghanistan, according to the army.
The meeting comes as the Commission reviews the United States' 20-year engagement in Afghanistan. During the interaction, both sides discussed Pakistan's support during the conflict and perspectives relevant to the Commission's work, the statement said.
The Commission, led by co-chairs Shamila N Chaudhary and Colin F Jackson, called on Munir in Rawalpindi, the army said in a statement. It said the discussions covered matters of mutual interest, including Pakistan's support, the regional security environment and developments in Afghanistan.
"The delegation acknowledged Pakistan's long-standing role and sacrifices during the conflict in Afghanistan and appreciated its continued contribution to regional peace and stability," the statement said.
Munir shared Pakistan's perspective on the security dynamics that shaped the conflict and highlighted the challenges faced by the country during the prolonged conflict in Afghanistan. He underscored the importance of incorporating the regional perspective and Pakistan's experience in assessing the strategic, diplomatic and operational dimensions of the conflict.
According to Dawn, the US Congress set up the Afghanistan War Commission in 2021 as an independent body to review US decisions on the war in Afghanistan from June 2001 to August 2021, according to the commission's website. US forces withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021, ending a 20-year war. The withdrawal was completed a minute before midnight on August 30, 2021.
About 800,000 US service members served in Afghanistan during this period. During the war, 2,238 US service members were killed and nearly 21,000 were wounded. Meanwhile, more than 40,000 civilians were killed and 77,000 were wounded in attacks by Taliban insurgents, the Islamic State group, and in operations by the armed forces of the Afghan Republic or the US-led international coalition, according to the United Nations mission in Afghanistan. Independent estimates put the total number of Afghan security personnel and civilians killed at more than 100,000.
A detailed report in The Wall Street Journal in 2022 showed that since September 11, 2001, US military outsourcing had pushed Pentagon spending to USD 14 trillion. According to Dawn, between one-third and half of that amount went to contractors. The meeting in Rawalpindi took place against this wider review of the war, with Pakistan's role, regional security and developments in Afghanistan forming the focus of the discussion.
With PTI Inputs
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