Why Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir might have an Indo Pak war to deal with: It is being widely reported that the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22 was linked to Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s ‘two-nation theory’ speech in which he also roused passions about Kashmir by describing it as the ‘jugular vein’ of Pakistan. It is time to understand why he is different from his recent predecessors. Here is the story of Gen Asim Munir.
Pak Army Chief Gen Asim Munir: Son of imam, ‘Islamic scholar’, learner of Quran
Unlike his predecessors, Gen Munir claims to be from a humble background, born to a father who was a school teacher and an imam. He also uses Islamic verses and concepts in his speeches, hinting that he is a scholar of his religion.
This positioning is important, as those who have done it in the past have eventually led Pakistan to war with India. Munir’s predecessors were sons of military men or bureaucrats. As you will see from the snapshot of his career, he probably feels sidestepped in his career, particularly due to his run-ins with politicians.
Gen Asim Munir: The back story
Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah was born in 1966 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
His family is of Punjabi Syed descent and had migrated from Jalandhar, India, after India’s Partition in 1947.
The family settled down in Rawalpindi. His father, Syed Sarwar Munir, was a school principal at FG Technical High School, Lalkurti in Rawalpindi.
Asim Munir is married to Syeda Irum Asim, and they have three children. His net worth, estimated at approximately $800,000-$1 million, primarily comes from his salary and allowances.
Gen Asim Munir, the Islamic scholar
It is fair to assume that Munir grew up in a household that inculcated Islamic religious learning, as his father also served as an imam at Masjid-al-Quraish, delivering Friday sermons.
Munir himself is said to be a Hafiz-e-Quran, a term that refers to those who have memorised Islam’s Holy Book Quran in its entirety.
Gen Asim Munir: Military career that began in the Zia era
Munir, who was appointed the Army chief on 29 November 2022, started his army career in 1986, when
Zia-ul-Haq was at the helm of Pakistan. It is fair to say he was inspired by Zia, who also legitimised his control over the army, and later the nation, on his adherence to Islamic principles.
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A graduate from the Officers Training School (OTS) in Mangla with the Sword of Honour, Munir was commissioned into the 23rd Battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment.
Early into his career, he served in Saudi Arabia and Siachen Glacier.
These two postings are significant. It is said that he learned the Quran by heart while in Saudi Arabia, and Siachen Glacier is the high-altitude post where he may have come in direct confrontation with the Indian armed forces.
Asim Munir spent some time in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir
Asim Munir served as Chief of Staff of ‘I Strike Corps’ Mangla, which is located in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
He was also a Force Commander, Northern Areas.
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Munir holds an MPhil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management from the National Defence University, Islamabad.
He has attended military courses in Japan and Malaysia.
Asim Munir, the intel chief, served the shortest term as chief of ISI
In the 2016-2018 period, Munir served as the Director-General of Military Intelligence.
He was promoted to Lieutenant General in 2018, and became the Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the Pakistani intelligence agency, from October 2018 to June 2019.
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Significantly, this was the shortest tenure for a director-general in ISI history.
The reason was Munir’s tensions with then-Prime Minister Imran Khan, about which the now-jailed politician has been very vocal. But that’s a whole other story.
Between 2019 and 2021, Munir commanded the ‘XXX Corps’ in Gujranwala, Punjab province, and was Quartermaster General before his appointment as Chief of Army Staff (COAS).
Gen Munir inherited a tough situation as COAS
Gen Munir’s career as COAS started at the height of several crises: the continuing conflicts with Afghanistan in the wake of the Taliban taking over, and the Baloch insurgency kept him busy on the western front. Terrorism continued to thrive in Pakistan, with various groups like the Islamic State attacking Pakistanis regularly through bombings and shootings.
The political strife in Pakistan, particularly the protests in the wake of Imran Khan’s arrest and jailing, was another issue.
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But the hardest part for Pakistan was helping Pakistan stabilise its economy, which was in doldrums due to decades of mismanagement.
It is at this juncture that, while speaking at a diaspora convention in Islamabad in early April, Gen Munir exhorted Pakistanis to remember the two-nation theory that led to the creation of Pakistan.
He reiterated the long-held view of Pakistani hawks that Hindus and Muslims are totally different communities. He also clearly mentioned that Kashmir is the ‘jugular vein’ of Pakistan.
All this, it now appears, was inspiring rhetoric for terrorists who share his same worldview.
And they struck at Indian tourists, killing at least 27 people in Pahalgam.
And now, Gen Asim Munir has a possible war with India to deal with.