Why Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir Is More Unpopular Than Ever

News18

13-05-2025

Last Updated:
Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir faces growing dissent within the military, political opposition and public disillusionment amid tensions with India and internal instability
Once hailed as a powerful, pious and calculating tactician, Pakistan's Army Chief General Asim Munir now finds himself facing growing dissent – within his own ranks, across political aisles, and among an increasingly disillusioned public. His tenure, marked by intensified hostilities with India and a crackdown on political opposition at home, has thrust him into a storm of controversy and waning popularity.
Appointed as Chief of Army Staff on November 29, 2022, Munir took the helm of the country's most influential institution with a reputation for discipline, secrecy, and religious devotion – he is known as Hafiz-e-Quran, a rare distinction among top brass. But the promise of stability under his leadership has since given way to rising instability both within and beyond Pakistan's borders.
Munir's leadership has been widely criticised for stoking tensions with India, particularly following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Jammu & Kashmir on April 22. India's swift retaliatory military operations rattled Pakistan, leaving its armed forces on the defensive. What followed was a near-conflict scenario that many analysts believe was the closest the nuclear-armed neighbours had come to open war in recent years.
While India blames Pakistan for harbouring terror networks operating across the border, discontent is also growing over social media platforms in Pakistan that saw a surge in anti-Munir sentiments, with hashtags like #MunirOut trending for days. Critics accused him of mishandling not just foreign policy, but also domestic affairs – especially the controversial imprisonment of former prime minister Imran Khan. That move, seen as politically motivated, alienated a significant portion of the Pakistani populace, particularly Khan's massive support base and religious-political factions like those led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
According to some estimates, as many as 4,500 soldiers and 250 officers have allegedly resigned due to growing dissatisfaction.
Some military insiders, particularly in junior ranks and among veterans, are said to be uneasy with Munir's increasing injection of religious ideology into military culture – drawing parallels to Pakistani General Zia-ul-Haq, the controversial dictator who militarised religion in the 1980s. Munir's frequent Quranic references during internal addresses and his perceived alignment with fundamentalist viewpoints have earned him the moniker 'Mullah Munir' among critics.
'He is not just politicising the army, he is theologising it," remarked one retired brigadier speaking anonymously to local media in Pakistan. 'This is dangerous for an institution that prides itself on professionalism and strategic discipline," he further said.
Despite the growing unease, Munir remains firmly entrenched in power. In a strategic move last year, the Shahbaz Sharif government extended his tenure by five years – an amendment passed quietly in parliament that ensures his command until November 2027. This effectively insulates him from any immediate political attempts at removal, although some analysts warn that persistent unrest in the ranks could sow seeds of a future internal crisis.
Opposition groups have openly speculated about the possibility of a rebellion or even a coup – a scenario that, while unlikely at present, reflects the volatility Munir now faces. Meanwhile, the Pakistani government appears increasingly sidelined, with Sharif's administration reportedly having limited control over military affairs.
Munir's influence continues to loom large in Pakistan's political and security arenas, but his popularity is confined to limited, and largely hardline, religious factions. Among mainstream Pakistanis – especially urban youth, civil society voices, and democratic institutions – he is viewed with skepticism, if not outright hostility.
His failure to stem the tide of terror attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has further dented his standing. Some argue that while Munir was busy flexing muscles across the Line of Control, internal security disintegrated, plunging the country into deeper instability.
'There is growing consensus that Munir's policies are harming Pakistan," noted political analyst Zahid Hussain. Even within the Pakistani Army, there is a sense that he is leading the institution into uncharted and dangerous territory, Hussain said.
Munir rarely engages with the media and is known to keep his personal life out of the public eye. Some reports claimed that his family lives abroad – possibly in the UK or the US – though there is no official confirmation. The secrecy has only fuelled speculation about his intentions, alliances, and long-term ambitions.
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