Even as the Pakistani leaders intensified their war rhetoric against India following New Delhi’s diplomatic offensive against the neighbouring country in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, speculations have been rife that Pak Army chief General Syed Asim Munir has fled the country.
Several reports citing local sources claimed that General Munir had gone ‘MIA’ (Missing in Action), while some reports stated that he had gone hiding in a bunker in Rawalpindi.
However, as the rumours flew thick and fast, the Pakistan government on Sunday sought to clear the air by posting a photo of General Munir, along with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, attending an event in Abbottabad on April 26.
“Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir (NIM) and officers of PMA Kakul in a group photo with the graduating officers of 151st Long Course at PMA Kakul, Abbottabad. April 26, 2025,” said the caption.
The categorical mentioning of the date is seen as an attempt to dismiss any speculation that General Munir is missing in action.
India and Pakistan are on the brink of war after the Pahalgam terror attack, with New Delhi alleging cross-border links to the ghastly strike—the worst in the region in decades.
As many as 26 people, mostly tourists, including two foreign nationals, were killed in the attack.
On April 23, India announced a slew of punitive measures against Pakistan, the most crucial of them being the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty.
New Delhi’s move has sparked an outrage in Pakistan’s political leadership, with one minister even threatening India with nuclear strikes.
