As diplomatic tensions escalate between India and Pakistan in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, internet sleuths and meme-makers have found a new obsession — Pakistan Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir.
#MunirOut: Rumours, memes, and a missing General
Unconfirmed reports claimed that Gen Munir had either “fled the country with his family” or was hiding in a Rawalpindi bunker, triggering a social media storm. The hashtag #MunirOut quickly went viral on X (formerly: Twitter), with users on both sides of the border wondering: “Where’s Munir?”
Pakistan PMO’s ‘Proof of Life’ post backfires
Sensing the heat, the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office tried to douse the fire by posting a group photo of Gen Munir with PM Shehbaz Sharif at a military graduation ceremony in Kakul on April 26. The caption was oddly precise, almost begging for scrutiny.
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. pic.twitter.com/HLmVg9nUwg
— Prime Minister’s Office (@PakPMO) April 27, 2025
“Is this an AI-generated image?” asked a user, while another commented, “This has ‘panic post’ written all over it.”
India goes full tilt after Pahalgam terror attack
India has launched a diplomatic blitz after the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 dead. It revoked all Pakistani visas, suspended the Indus Waters Treaty for the first time ever, and sealed the Wagah-Attari border. Intelligence agencies say Pakistan-backed groups were behind the attack. The Times of India further reported that the probe has revealed Hashim Musa, the Pakistani terrorist, to be behind the massacre in Pahalgam. Musa is a former para commando of the Pakistan Army’s Special Forces, according to the investigations into the terror plot.
Munir’s ‘jugular vein’ remark comes back to haunt
Just days before the attack, Gen Munir had told overseas Pakistanis that Kashmir was Pakistan’s “jugular vein” and vowed not to abandon the cause. The statement hasn’t aged well, in light of the recent bloodshed.
As India tightens the screws, Pakistan finds itself firefighting — on the ground and online. And while Gen Munir may not be missing in action (MIA), his silence continues to speak volumes.
