PAF Chief Sidhu holds defence talks with US officials in rare visit

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu meets US lawmakers Rich McCormick at Capitol Hill, Washington DC, US, July 2, 2025. — Screengrab via video/ISPR

In a significant move to enhance bilateral defence cooperation, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu held high-level strategic talks with US Congress and Pentagon officials during his official visit to the United States — the first by a serving PAF chief in more than ten years.

During the visit, the Air Chief held strategic-level engagements with senior US political and military leadership, including top officials at the Pentagon and Capitol Hill, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

The ISPR mentioned that these interactions were pivotal in renewing institutional ties, enhancing interoperability, and reaffirming mutual commitment to regional and global peace.

At the Pentagon, Air Chief Sidhu met Kelli L Seybolt, Secretary of the Air Force (International Affairs), and General David W Allvin, Chief of Staff of the US Air Force.

Talks focused on strengthening bilateral military cooperation, advancing joint training initiatives, and expanding technology exchange. He reiterated Pakistan’s longstanding commitment to the US-Pakistan military relations and called for sustained high-level interactions to carry forward cooperative initiatives.

At the State Department, the PAF chief held meetings with Brown L Stanley from the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs and Eric Meyer from the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs.

Discussions centred on Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts, evolving security dynamics in South and Central Asia, and Islamabad’s vision for regional peace.

Air Chief Sidhu also held a series of important meetings on Capitol Hill with US lawmakers — including Mike Turner, Rich McCormick, and Bill Huizenga.

These exchanges provided a valuable platform to convey Pakistan’s strategic views, reaffirm the country’s commitment to peace, and advocate stronger bilateral defence collaboration.

The visit marked a strategic milestone in the Pakistan-US ties and set the groundwork for enhanced cooperation in defence, joint exercises, and institutional dialogue between the PAF and the USAF.