Israel-Iran conflict: Pakistan Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has reportedly leaked sensitive intelligence about Iran’s top military commander, Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, to the United States and Israel. According to reports, Munir had met Baqeri at the end of May, just days before Baqeri was killed in an Israeli airstrike on June 13. Iranian sources claim Pakistan has long played a “double game,” balancing its relations with both Iran and Western powers.

GPS watch theory

There are claims that Munir gifted Baqeri a wristwatch embedded with a GPS tracker. Iranian media alleges this device allowed Israeli forces to pinpoint Baqeri’s exact location. Two of Baqeri’s deputies were also killed in the June 13 attack. 

Meeting with Trump

There is further speculation that Munir secretly met with US President Donald Trump after his meeting with Baqeri. Trump, who was seen hosting Munir at the White House this week, is believed to have leveraged Pakistan’s strategic position to gain vital intelligence. Reports suggest Trump offered Pakistan advanced military hardware and significant financial incentives in exchange for strategic cooperation, including access to Pakistan’s airbases and logistics routes.

Pakistan’s role in regional dynamics

Pakistan’s alleged role in facilitating Baqeri’s assassination underscores its complex position in West Asia. On one hand, Pakistan seeks influence as the only nuclear-armed Muslim-majority nation; on the other, it must navigate tense relations with neighbouring Iran while fostering ties with the United States. The volatility of the Pakistan-Iran border, rife with smuggling and terror activity, only adds to these strains.

Global implications

As tensions rise across the Middle East, Pakistan is trying to balance between US and Middle Eastern powers. Munir’s meeting with Trump highlighted Pakistan’s ambitions for a larger role on the world stage. Diplomatic sources say Trump offered Pakistan access to American fifth-generation fighter jets and missile technology to counterbalance Pakistan’s relations with the Eastern bloc.

Meanwhile, Munir’s behind-closed-doors diplomacy with Trump signals a strategic pivot toward the US-aligned security alliance. For Pakistan, home to 240 million people and the most powerful military in the Muslim world, this may be a calculated risk to enhance its international influence.