(Image source from: x.com/PakPMO)
In the wake of escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan following the recent terrorist incident in Pahalgam, social media is abuzz with rumors regarding the departure of Pakistan Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir. Various reports suggest that he has "fled the country," prompting an influx of hashtags and memes online. Sources indicate that General Munir has gone "missing in action" as a result of India's renewed diplomatic efforts. Allegations surface that the Army Chief has either left the nation with his family or is taking refuge in a bunker located in Rawalpindi, all while Pakistani political leaders have intensified their anti-India statements. The dialogue surrounding Munir's status gained traction, with the hashtag MunirOut trending on platform X, as individuals from both sides of the border expressed concerns regarding his recent media absence.
In response to the growing speculation, the office of the Prime Minister of Pakistan moved swiftly to dispel the rumors by sharing a picture of General Munir alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at a gathering on April 26. The accompanying caption read, "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 the 151st Long Course at PMA Kakul, Abbottabad. April 26, 2025." Nevertheless, many social media users were skeptical of the timing of the announcement and the precise date mentioned. One commentator even suggested that the image might be an "AI-generated false photo" aimed at quelling rumors about the Army Chief's whereabouts.
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.
— Prime Minister's Office (@PakPMO) April 27, 2025
April 26, 2025. pic.twitter.com/HLmVg9nUwg
Following the tragic attack in Pahalgam that resulted in 26 fatalities, India has implemented several actions, including a downgrade of diplomatic relations with Pakistan. Intelligence assessments reportedly implicate groups based in Pakistan in the Pahalgam assault. Consequently, India has taken the unprecedented step of suspending the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and revoked all visas granted to Pakistani citizens. The Wagah-Attari border has also been shuttered amid the heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed nations.
This terrorist incident, marking one of the most severe attacks in nearly twenty years, occurred just days after General Asim Munir referred to Kashmir as Islamabad's "jugular vein." During a speech at the Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad on April 16, he emphasized Pakistan's clear position on Kashmir, declaring, "It was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, we will not forget it. We will not abandon our Kashmiri brothers in their valiant struggle." He urged the gathering of Pakistani expatriates to recognize their role as ambassadors for the nation and reminded them of their association with a "superior ideology and culture."
India has attributed the attack to Pakistan after The Resistance Front (TRF), associated with the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility.
