‘Looks like a salesman’: Pakistani senator slams army chief Munir over rare earths display to Trump

Pakistani senator Aimal Wali Khan has strongly criticised Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for presenting rare earth minerals to US President Donald Trump at the White House, arguing the move lacked legal or constitutional justification.

Speaking in Parliament, Khan asked under what authority Munir showcased the minerals, describing the gesture as both undemocratic and an embarrassment. He said the optics of the army chief carrying a case of rare earths resembled a shopkeeper showing off expensive merchandise to a customer, rather than a dignified diplomatic engagement.

What joke . In what capacity the Army Chief is carrying minerals in a brief case? Asks Aimal Wali Khan of ANP pic.twitter.com/mYhzWbnFnV

— Fakhar Ur Rehman (@Fakharrehman01) October 1, 2025

“Munir looks like a salesman selling something to someone, with the manager PM Shehbaz Sharif watching the drama,” said Khan, adding, “Munir is touring abroad and attending diplomatic meetings…It’s a joke on the Constitution and the country…There is no democracy. It is dictatorship in Pakistan. This is contempt of Parliament.”

Khan added that Munir’s role in such economic and strategic matters undermined parliamentary authority and resembled authoritarian practices. He pressed for a joint session of Parliament to clarify the Pakistan-Saudi defence deal, Islamabad’s support for Trump’s Gaza plan, and the circumstances of Munir’s meetings with the US president.

A photograph from the Oval Office showed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Munir with Trump, with the army chief pointing to an open wooden box of minerals while Trump observed and Sharif looked on smiling.

An elite designer shop ( a newly established). The picture defines the characters. pic.twitter.com/qX9hFg9DkZ

— Aimal Wali Khan (@AimalWali) September 28, 2025

The visit was the first White House appearance by a Pakistani civilian leader since 2019, when Imran Khan was hosted by Trump. Earlier this year, Trump had already met Munir alone at the White House, a rare occurrence while a civilian government was in office in Islamabad.

The presentation of minerals has since stirred debate in Pakistan about the military’s expanding influence in foreign and economic policy, with Khan likening the episode to an “elite showroom” display.