Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, once celebrated as a decorated and promising officer of the Pakistan Army, has emerged as a deeply polarising figure.
His career, which began with distinction marked by the rare honour of winning the Sword of Honour as an Officers Training School (OTS) graduate, now faces harsh criticism amid accusations of ideological zealotry, political manipulation, and strategic failures.
The transformation from a respected military leader to one accused of “disgracing the sword” is a compelling narrative that encapsulates the complexities and contradictions of Pakistan’s civil-military relations, the role of religious ideology in the armed forces, and the nation’s fraught political landscape.
Born in 1968 in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Asim Munir came from a family with deep religious roots. His father, Syed Sarwar Munir, was a school principal and an imam at Masjid-al-Quraish in Rawalpindi’s Dheri Hassanabad, delivering Friday sermons that likely influenced Munir’s worldview.
Unlike many of his peers from elite military families, Munir’s background was modest, with his family having migrated from Jalandhar, India, during the 1947 partition.
His early education at the Markazi Madrasah Dar-ul-Tajweed, an Islamic seminary, instilled a strong religious foundation, significantly shaping his leadership style and raising concerns about the influence of religious ideology in the military.
Asif Munir: Entry & Military Career
Unlike many senior officers who rose through the prestigious Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) ranks, Munir was commissioned via the Officers Training School (OTS) in Mangla, an alternative path often viewed as less prestigious.
He graduated in 1986, earning the Sword of Honour for his exceptional performance. Commissioned into the 23rd Battalion of the Frontier Force Regiment, he quickly established himself as a promising officer. His career included diverse roles, such as serving as a military attaché in Saudi Arabia, where he memorised the Quran, earning the title of Hafiz-e-Koran, and commanding troops in strategic locations like the Siachen Glacier and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Munir’s academic credentials are equally impressive, with an MPhil in Public Policy and Strategic Security Management from the National Defence University in Islamabad, alongside training at military institutions in Japan and Malaysia.
Rise In the Pakistan Army
Several high-profile intelligence and command assignments marked Munir’s career. He served as Director-General of Military Intelligence (MI) and later as head of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
However, his term as ISI chief was short-lived, reportedly due to differences with then-Prime Minister Imran Khan, especially over corruption reports implicating the latter’s close aides.
This fallout would later shape Munir’s implicit role in the military’s manoeuvring to oust Khan from power. Munir also served as commander of the Force Command Northern Areas (FCNA) in Gilgit-Baltistan and the XXX Corps in Gujranwala. By 2021, he had become Quartermaster General at GHQ Rawalpindi, a key logistical and administrative post.
On November 29, 2022, Munir was appointed Chief of Army Staff, becoming the first Hafiz-e-Quran to lead the Pakistan Army. His selection came amid intense political turmoil, and his tenure immediately saw an aggressive consolidation of military influence over civilian institutions.
This aggressive consolidation could weaken civilian governance structures and entrench military control in Pakistan’s political landscape. Munir became the central figure in Pakistan’s governance, overshadowing the Prime Minister and the judiciary in decision-making.
My Way Or The Prison Way
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023. He claims that Munir harbours personal animosity, stemming from Khan’s decision to remove him as ISI chief in 2019.
Khan also alleges that Munir has retaliated by targeting his wife, Bushra Bibi, leading to her 14-month detention under harsh conditions, including solitary confinement and restricted family access.
Khan’s narrative, amplified by PTI supporters and a Times Square billboard campaign branding Munir a “Fraud Marshal,” portrays the general as orchestrating a broader crackdown on PTI to suppress dissent.
Khan’s calls for judicial inquiries into these actions face challenges from a judiciary he claims is aligned with the military. The critics see a pattern of politically motivated persecution, highlighting the highly vindictive character of Munir.
‘Jihadi Mullah General’ With Religious Ideology.
Munir’s worldview blends military strategy with Islamic theology, reminiscent of General Zia-ul-Haq’s Islamisation policies in the 1970s and 1980s.
He overtly infuses religious ideology into military affairs. In a speech to a grand jirga in Peshawar, Munir explicitly stated that the Pakistan Army operates under the principles of “imaan, taqwa, and jihad fi sabeelillah.” He declared, “We are waging jihad in the path of Allah and success will be ours, Inshallah.”
These statements are more in line with militant organisations than modern militaries. Munir’s rhetoric has emboldened radical groups and blurred the line between conventional military operations and religious militancy. The term ‘jihadi general’ began to circulate in international media and think tanks, raising concerns about Pakistan’s nuclear command under such ideological leadership.
Internally, his policies led to greater appeasement of hardline clerics and religious political factions, weakening Pakistan’s secular democratic institutions.
Mullah-Military Alliance Doctrine
Munir’s speeches frequently invoke the two-nation theory, emphasising irreconcilable differences between Muslims and Hindus.
On April 16, 2025, addressing a Pakistani diaspora audience in Islamabad, he stated, “Our forefathers believed we are different from the Hindus in every aspect of life. Our religions, customs, traditions, thoughts, and ambitions differ.”
He described Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein,” a phrase perceived as a signal to terror proxies, preceding the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. Munir’s ideology aligns with a mullah-military alliance, where the army positions itself as the defender of Pakistan’s ideological frontiers, not just its borders.
His leadership has seen the military provide state funerals for senior terrorists and align rhetoric with groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, raising concerns about state-sponsored terrorism. Unlike his predecessor Bajwa, who advocated for geo-economics and a 2021 ceasefire with India, Munir has not uttered a word of peace, focusing instead on jihadist rhetoric and military escalation.
His strained relations with the Indian leadership and refusal to engage diplomatically contrast with those of past generals like Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf, who maintained channels with their Indian counterparts.
The long-term effects of this shift in policy could lead to increased tensions with India and further destabilisation within Pakistan as the military’s focus shifts from conventional defence to ideological warfare.
Self-Promotion: A Disgrace
During India’s Operation Sindoor in May 2025, Pakistan suffered considerable economic, diplomatic, and military setbacks. Indian airstrikes damaged key military installations, whereas Pakistan’s retaliatory efforts lacked cohesion. Moreover, international isolation deepened due to Pakistan’s perceived role in harbouring terror proxies.
Despite this humiliation, Munir self-promoted himself to the rank of Field Marshal, the first such elevation since Ayub Khan in 1965. In the face of significant national challenges, this act of self-promotion raises critical questions about Munir’s leadership and priorities.
The “Failed Marshal” Narrative
Munir’s overreach into civil governance is backfiring. His alliance with the fragile coalition government has led to widespread public resentment. The crackdown on political opponents, media censorship, and manipulation of the judiciary has further alienated the citizenry.
Economic conditions have deteriorated as foreign investments have dried up. Pakistan’s regional and global reputation has also suffered under Munir’s leadership. Relations with the U.S. have remained lukewarm, while ties with China have grown increasingly transactional. Meanwhile, his harsh rhetoric against India, especially communal remarks linking Hindus to historical grievances, is considered incitement of terror attacks.
Domestically, Munir’s legitimacy is being called into question. Civil society has begun to refer to him as a “failed marshal,” suggesting that his promotion was not earned through strategic brilliance but political manipulation.
The military’s internal cohesion also reportedly weakened, with factionalism surfacing within the ranks. Some officers allegedly opposed the overt ideological and political shift under Munir’s command.
Conclusion
Asim Munir’s career arc, from a Sword of Honour cadet to a disgraced Field Marshal, reflects broader themes in Pakistan’s military and political evolution.
His initial promise as a disciplined and devout officer has led to a tenure marked by ideological rigidity, strategic miscalculations, and political entanglements.
The sword of honour that once symbolised Asim Munir’s excellence and promise now stands metaphorically tarnished by the controversies of his later years. His transformation, from a highly respected officer to a leader accused of disgracing the military institution, underscores the complex interplay of ambition, ideology, and power in Pakistan’s armed forces.
- Air Marshal Anil Khosla is a former Vice Chief of Air Staff (VCAS) of the Indian Air Force and AOC in C of Eastern Air Command.
- He tweets at: @AnilKhosla16
