Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir on Sunday left for the United States on an official visit, according to the military’s media affairs wing.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said this was COAS Munir’s first visit to the US as the army chief.

“During his visit, Gen Munir is scheduled to meet the senior military and other government officials of USA,” the ISPR said.

In October, the army chief and US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin had held a telephone conversation and discussed “areas of mutual interest as well as recent regional developments”.

In July, US Central Command (Centcom) chief General Michael Erik Kurilla had called on the COAS in Rawalpindi and recognised Pakistan’s “continued efforts” for bringing peace and stability to the region.

Meanwhile, in February, the ISPR had to step in to quash rumours that COAS Munir made a secret trip to the US while on a visit to the United Kingdom.

The rumours that Gen Munir quietly flew across the Atlantic had begun after a former army officer claimed in a tweet that the army chief’s aircraft went to the US on Feb 6 and landed at New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport.