General Michael Kurilla, chief of the United States Central Command (CentCom), has received the prestigious Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military)—one of Pakistan’s highest state honours—from President Asif Ali Zardari, in a move widely interpreted as reaffirming Islamabad’s strategic defence relationship with Washington.
The award was conferred during a formal ceremony held at the Presidential Palace in Islamabad, where General Kurilla was also accorded a Tri-Services Guard of Honour.
According to the Pakistani government, the decoration acknowledges Kurilla’s role in promoting regional stability, advancing counterterrorism collaboration, and deepening military-to-military ties between Pakistan and the United States.
As reported by state-run Radio Pakistan, the honour celebrates Kurilla’s “exceptional contribution to regional peace and defence partnerships.”
His official visit to Islamabad included high-level meetings with top civilian and military leaders, notably President Zardari and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, where discussions focused on military cooperation and counterterrorism initiatives.
‘Phenomenal Partner’
The development comes shortly after Kurilla publicly described Pakistan as a “phenomenal partner” in counterterrorism, remarks that coincided with India intensifying its diplomatic campaign to highlight Pakistan’s alleged links to terror financing—especially following the recent Pahalgam terror attack.
Diplomatic insiders view the honour as part of Pakistan’s calculated effort to manage its geopolitical balancing act between the US and China, while simultaneously seeking to restore political goodwill in Washington.
Despite being removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list in 2022, Pakistan remains under scrutiny—particularly by India, which continues to urge action against Pakistan-based terrorist groups.
Given the US’s foundational role in FATF, Pakistan’s high-level diplomatic and military engagements are seen as an attempt to remain in Washington’s strategic favour.
These moves also align with Pakistan’s need for sustained IMF assistance amid ongoing economic turbulence and global financial monitoring.
“Pakistan is sending a nuanced message—it may be aligned with China, but it still values its long-standing partnership with the United States,” a diplomatic source told the Hindustan Times, noting that CentCom continues to be a key element in America’s post-Afghanistan security calculus in South Asia.
(With inputs from IBNS)
