'Salesman': Asim Munir mocked for showcasing rare earths to Trump
What's the story
Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has been criticized for presenting rare earth minerals to United States President Donald Trump. The incident took place during his visit to Washington along with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Pakistani Senator Aimal Wali Khan slammed Munir's actions in Parliament, accusing him of acting "like a salesman" while Sharif looked on "like a manager."
Authority questioned
In what capacity? Senator asks
Khan questioned the authority under which Munir was displaying Pakistan's strategic resources. He compared the scene to a luxury store, with a manager looking on as a shopkeeper sells an expensive item. "In what capacity? Under which law? This is dictatorship," Khan said, adding that such actions were not democratic and could be seen as contempt of Parliament. "What a joke! It was absolute mockery," he said.
Twitter Post
Munir appears more like a salesman, the lawmaker said
There is no democracy in Pakistan. It is dictatorship. The army chief Asim Munir appears more like a salesman in a marketplace than the chief of an army. Who has granted him the authority to sign deals on rare earth minerals, resources that belong to the people, not to a military… pic.twitter.com/DHOxQQe4fK
— Mir Yar Baloch (@miryar_baloch) October 1, 2025
Visit context
Munir's US visit after Pakistan-India conflict
The photograph of Munir presenting rare earth minerals to Trump was released by the White House. This was Munir's third trip to Washington since the May Pakistan-India conflict, which Trump has claimed to have mediated. Pakistan has nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize for his alleged role in brokering peace, although India denies Trump's involvement in ceasefire talks.
Trump
Photos from meeting
Among the photographs from the meeting, one shows them presenting an open 18x18 inch wooden box holding colorful stones thought to be mineral reserves. The two bigger rocks look like bastanzite and monazite, both of which contain rare earth elements like cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium. The meeting also included symbolic gestures, such as Prime Minister Sharif donning a lapel pin with both the US and Pakistani flags.