New Delhi: Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir is headed to Tampa this week to attend the official farewell ceremony of U.S. CENTCOM Commander General Michael Kurilla at MacDill Air Force Base.
The visit, Munir’s second to the U.S. since June, follows Kurilla’s recent praise for Pakistan’s counter-terrorism cooperation. CENTCOM extended the formal invitation to Munir for the high-level change-of-command ceremony.
During his June tour, Munir held a notable two-hour luncheon with former President Donald Trump at the White House. Shortly after, Islamabad nominated Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.
Kurilla, who was recently conferred Pakistan’s prestigious Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) in Islamabad, was recognized for his “outstanding contributions to regional security” and efforts to deepen U.S.-Pakistan strategic defense ties, according to Radio Pakistan.
While in Tampa, Munir is also expected to attend an exclusive dinner on August 8 hosted by Pakistani-American businessman Adnan Asad, a cousin of the late Gen. Pervez Musharraf. Asad, who runs the Venus Group—a supplier of military-grade logistics—has longstanding ties across political and military circles in Pakistan and the U.S.
Asad previously made headlines for hosting a lavish pre-wedding event in Karachi in 2019, dubbed the ‘Mika Singh Night’, reportedly attended by individuals linked to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.
