General Asim Munir: The Man Behind Pakistan’s Kashmir Agenda and Rising Tensions with India
In the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated, sparking fears of potential military conflict. At the heart of these developments stands Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, whose hardline stance on Kashmir and extremist leanings have significantly influenced Pakistan’s current trajectory.
Historically, the Pakistani military has held overwhelming sway over the country’s politics, including the power to install or remove civilian governments. Regardless of who assumes the role of army chief, the Kashmir issue is almost always approached with a rigid, aggressive mindset. In Pakistani schools, children are often taught that Kashmir is a matter of national security, and that India has no rightful claim over it.
General Asim Munir, the son of an Islamic cleric, was trained at the Officers Training School in Mangla. He joined the Pakistan Army in 1986 and eventually rose to head the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence), the country’s notorious spy agency. However, he was removed from the ISI chief position within eight months, reportedly due to internal power struggles.
In 2022, amid Pakistan’s severe economic crisis, Munir was appointed as the army chief. Since then, he has emerged as the most powerful figure in the country, wielding control far beyond the military. Unlike his predecessor General Qamar Bajwa, who at least publicly emphasized stability, Munir has shown no interest in peaceful relations with India and prioritizes religious ideology and military dominance.
On February 5, 2025, during a “Kashmir Solidarity Day” event in Muzaffarabad, General Munir declared that Pakistan had fought three wars for Kashmir and was prepared to fight ten more if necessary. For the first time ever, he invited representatives from terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah to participate in a Kashmir-related conference, recasting the Kashmir conflict from a political issue to a religious war between Hindus and Muslims.
At the same time, in a conference of overseas Pakistanis, he openly stated that “we differ from Hindus in every aspect – from religion to way of life”, promoting religious hate. He further described Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein”, vowing that Pakistan would never abandon the Kashmiri people.
Just five days after this inflammatory speech, 26 Hindu pilgrims were killed in a targeted terrorist attack in Pahalgam, believed to be orchestrated by Pakistan-backed militants. This was not just a terrorist act—it was a strategic attempt to derail the economic and social progress happening in Kashmir post the abrogation of Article 370.
Since the revocation of Article 370, Kashmir has witnessed rapid development in infrastructure, education, and employment. Terrorist recruitment has dropped to historic lows, with Indian intelligence reporting fewer than 80 active militants in the region, only 18 of whom are locals. Peace and prosperity in Kashmir are a direct threat to Pakistan’s military narrative, which is why Asim Munir is desperate to re-ignite unrest.
In response to the Pahalgam massacre, Prime Minister Modi has given the Indian military full freedom to respond, signaling a tough stance.
In essence, General Asim Munir’s militaristic and extremist policies are not only isolating Pakistan internationally but also pushing the nation toward internal and external destruction.
