Under the leadership of Army Chief Asim Munir, Pakistan has been criticized for its heavy reliance on narrative management, blaming major failures on foreign conspiracies, deeming protests as security threats, and portraying military escalations as national resolve. Despite being hailed as a “global stabilizer,” Munir has overseen a significant decline in Pakistan’s internal security, marked by increased militant attacks, civilian and security force casualties, and growing unrest in various regions.
Asim Munir assumed the role of Pakistan’s Army Chief in 2022 amidst challenges such as renewed militancy, unrest in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and strained relations with Afghanistan. During his tenure, Pakistan adopted a hard-security approach focused on military operations, arrests, cross-border strikes, bans, and centralized army control, which failed to bring stability. Instead, the country experienced a surge in militant activities, heightened violence, and conflicts with neighboring Afghanistan.
Despite being promoted to the rank of Field Marshal in 2025, data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) contradicts Munir’s image as a successful stabilizer. The institute reported a significant increase in militant attacks and security force fatalities during Munir’s leadership, with 2025 witnessing the highest number of militant attacks since 2014, as well as elevated security-force and civilian casualties.
Critics have pointed out the disconnect between Pakistan’s external diplomatic efforts and its internal security measures under Munir’s command. While Pakistan advocates for ceasefire, dialogue, and mediation on the international stage, domestically, the state resorts to coercion, arrests, disappearances, and military actions to maintain control. The country’s coercive tactics were also evident in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where crackdowns on civil society groups like the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) led to deadly protests, highlighting internal security challenges.
The prevailing narrative in Pakistan under Munir’s leadership has been one of externalizing blame for security failures while neglecting internal reforms. Major security lapses are often attributed to external forces, masking deeper issues within Pakistan’s security and governance structures. The era of Munir has been characterized by stringent narrative management, where failures are depicted as foreign conspiracies, protests are labeled security threats, and military actions are portrayed as national unity. However, this narrative control has not translated into improved public security, as highlighted by increased crackdowns on media freedom, political opposition, and civil society by Pakistani authorities in 2025.
