“Missing?” Pakistan Army Chief’s Whereabouts Fuel Speculation After Pahalgam Attack

Social media buzzes with rumours that General Asim Munir has fled or gone into hiding, prompting the Pakistan PMO to issue a dated photo to refute the claims.

April 30, 2025: Islamabad:
Following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, social media platforms, especially X (formerly Twitter), have erupted with speculation over the absence of Pakistan Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir from public view. Rumours, memes, and unverified reports suggested that Munir had either fled the country with his family or gone into hiding in a secure bunker in Rawalpindi.

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The hashtag #MunirOut began trending, as users from both India and Pakistan questioned why the Army Chief had not made a statement or been seen since the attack—especially given the heightened tension between the two nations.

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In response to the growing speculation, the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office posted a photo showing General Munir with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the 151st Long Course graduation ceremony at PMA Kakul in Abbottabad, dated April 26, 2025.

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The PMO’s attempt to quash the rumours, however, seemed to do little to calm social media users. Some questioned the timing of the release, while others accused the image of being “AI-generated” or “staged” due to its strategic mention of the date and participants.

India’s Firm Response

India has directly blamed Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba and its proxy, The Resistance Front (TRF), for orchestrating the Pahalgam attack. In retaliation, New Delhi has taken several unprecedented diplomatic and security steps:

• Suspension of the Indus Water Treaty (1960) — a historic first
• Revocation of all visas issued to Pakistani nationals
• Closure of the Attari-Wagah border crossing

Tensions escalated further after an old clip of General Munir resurfaced in which he described Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein” during a speech at the Overseas Pakistanis Convention on April 16.

He had stated:

“Our stance is absolutely clear—it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, we will not forget it.”

Munir urged expatriate Pakistanis to remember their cultural and ideological roots, calling them ambassadors of the nation.

As both sides brace for further geopolitical fallout, the speculation around General Munir’s silence—and now, visibility—has only added fuel to an already volatile situation.

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Tags:
Asim Munir, Pakistan Army Chief, Pahalgam attack, #MunirOut, India Pakistan tensions, Kashmir conflict, Pakistan military, Shehbaz Sharif, Indus Water Treaty, Lashkar-e-Taiba, TRF