PAKISTANI LEADERSHIP HOSTS REGIONAL DEFENCE CONFERENCE TO FURTHER AMERICAN INTERESTS INSTEAD OF MOBILIZING FOR GAZA

News:

Pakistan armed forces media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), announced on July 26, 2025 that Pakistan hosted the Regional Chiefs of Defence Staff Conference today in Islamabad, convening senior military leadership from the United States of America, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. ISPR’s readout noted that “this landmark multilateral engagement marked a significant stride toward advancing regional security cooperation, military diplomacy, and strategic dialogue among participating nations”. The conference was held under the theme “Strengthening Bonds, Securing Peace”, and sought to reinforce security collaborations, enhance training initiatives, and facilitate the exchange of best practices in counterterrorism and other defence and security endeavours.

Comment:

Pakistani rulers reaffirmed their adherence to America’s regional vision through organizing an important regional security conference involving commanders of Muslim armies of Pakistan and Central Asian states under American patronage. At a time when Muslim armies are required to urgently mobilize to save Gaza and eradicate the Jewish entity, Pakistan’s army chief engages in a conference whose agenda is to pivot the region towards American direction: fighting political Islam in a coordinated manner through so-called counterterrorism and counterextremism initiatives.

The regional defence conference is a unique initiative launched by Pakistan’s army chief that gathered military leaders from Central Asian states and US Central Command (CENTCOM). The American General in charge of CENTCOM, Gen. Micheal E. Kurilla, represented the U.S. in this conference. The focus of this conference was to strengthen commitment towards three main American objectives in the region: counterterrorism, regional stability, and military coordination, as is evident from the conference readout. These three agenda items feature prominently in the U.S. Central Command objectives, and Pakistan is the central pillar for achieving these U.S. goals.

An overview of the broader geopolitical environment is important to understand American moves and the importance of Pakistan, without which the U.S. cannot achieve its goals.

First, Central and South Asia are key Islamic regions where South Asian manpower meets the energy-rich Central Asia. Afghanistan is a key bridge which connects Central Asia and South Asia. Due to demography, strategic location, and natural resources, strategic competition between the U.S., Russia, and China has intensified in South and Central Asia. The three key areas of major powers’ contestation are access to energy, critical minerals, and connectivity corridors, and they all seek to dominate these areas. Due to weakness of Russia as a result of a prolonged war with Ukraine, the U.S. and China have become more dominant players in South and Central Asia. Though the U.S. retreated from Afghanistan after a humiliating defeat inflicted by Taliban forces after two-decades of war, it has re-entered the region through its trusted agents in the Pakistani military.

Second, the return of the Republican administration led by arrogant Donald Trump in the U.S. has opened the door for the Pakistani military leadership to assume greater importance in America’s regional plans. The Biden administration minimized its interests and engagement with Pakistan, except for counterterrorism cooperation post-Afghanistan withdrawal. Trump met Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, over a lunch in an unprecedented development during his visit to the United States. General Munir also met U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and other important U.S. officials to get his new marching orders. The hosting of defence chiefs of Central Asian states, after the recent U.S.-Pakistan high-level engagements, signals that Pakistan is prepared to pivot South and Central Asia in the direction of American interests. Russia and China will be more skeptical towards Pakistan after these developments.

Besides securing regional security cooperation under the American patronage, Pakistan is also escalating the pace of regional connectivity projects like new trade and transportation routes. For example, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan have recently signed a trilateral framework agreement on a railway project. Other key projects that are in different stages of implementation include: Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, Trans-Afghan Railway Project, Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000), Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Tajikistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan Power Interconnection Project (TUTAP-500), etc. All these projects have American support and helps Central Asian states wean away from China and Russia through Pakistan.

It is unfortunate that the U.S. and other major powers are exploiting Islamic regions rich with energy resources, critical minerals, and military prowess. The destruction of the Khilafah (Caliphate) at the hands of the West in 1924 have scattered the strength of the Muslim Ummah, dividing them into artificial nation-states. In addition to these divisions, the West manufactured and imposed a ruling elite that is intellectually aligned with the West. They are limited in their vision and are an obstacle in the way of unification of Muslim lands through the Khilafah (Caliphate).

Pakistan’s military leadership is no different than other secular establishments in major Muslim countries. If they had any free will and real vision, they would have combined the energy rich Gulf and Central Asia with South Asian manpower through the Khilafah (Caliphate). It is still very much possible, because it is the American weakness, due to which it is dependent upon Pakistan to carry out its regional tasks. More importantly, the Ummah is ready for a radical change.

The sincere elements within Pakistan’s military leadership should hurry to establish the Khilafah (Caliphate) so that Muslim strength is restored, which will put an end to genocide and occupations of Muslim lands. The soon-to-be established Khilafah (Caliphate) will unite commanders of Muslim armies to mobilize and liberate Palestine and Kashmir instead of wasting time in useless conferences to pursue foreign agendas.

The Messenger of Allah (swt),Prophet Muhammad (saw) said: «إِنَّ اللهَ زَوَى لِي الْأَرْضَ فَرَأَيْتُ مَشَارِقَهَا وَمَغَارِبَهَا، وَإِنَّ أُمَّتِي سَيَبْلُغُ مُلْكُهَا مَا زُوِيَ لِي مِنْهَا»“Verily Allah has shown me the eastern and western part of the earth, and I saw the authority of my Ummah (nation) dominate all that I saw.” (Saheeh Muslim). In the Noble Qur’an, Allah (swt) says:

[هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ]

“It is he (Allah) who has sent his Messenger (saw) with guidance and the religion of truth, in order for it to be dominant over all other religions, even though the Mushrikoon (disbelievers) hate it.” (Tawbah, 9: 33).

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Muhammad Seljuk – Wilayah Pakistan