Asim Munir’s fresh anti-India rant exposes Pakistan’s insecurity

Pakistan’s CDF escalates rhetoric against India, Afghanistan

December 9, 2025

Asim Munir's hollow warnings as Pakistan battles internal turmoil

Another warning, same script: Asim Munir escalates rhetoric against India

Pakistan’s newly appointed Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Field Marshal Asim Munir, has once again resorted to empty sabre-rattling against India, issuing yet another gratuitous and bluster-filled warning. In a speech to officers after assuming control of all three defence services, Munir claimed that Pakistan’s response to any future conflict with India would be “swift, severe, and intense”—a threat clearly aimed at masking Islamabad’s own internal crises rather than addressing any real security concerns.

His remarks come despite the fact that India’s Operation Sindoor on May 7—launched after the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 Indian civilian lives—specifically targeted Pakistan-based terror infrastructure. The operation lasted four days and concluded only after Pakistan agreed to halt further escalation on May 10.

Munir, continuing Pakistan’s familiar pattern of posturing, insisted that his country was “peaceful” while simultaneously issuing warnings about protecting its territorial integrity. At the ceremony, he received a guard of honour from all three services—a symbolic show meant to project unity as he consolidates his unprecedented power.

Warning Shot at Afghanistan

Munir also attempted to strong-arm Afghanistan, declaring that the Taliban regime in Kabul “must choose” between Pakistan and the TTP militant network—despite Pakistan’s own long record of enabling extremist factions in the region. He framed the banned TTP as “Fitna al-Khawarij,” echoing Islamabad’s recent attempt to rebrand the group for political convenience.

He described the new Defence Forces Headquarters as part of a “historic” restructuring to streamline tri-service operations, even as each branch retains its independent operational command. Senior military leaders from the Army, Navy, and Air Force were present at the event.

Munir’s Expanding Power

Munir assumed the CDF post after a government notification that granted him a five-year term—allowing him to simultaneously serve as Chief of Army Staff. With control over all three branches and the National Strategic Command overseeing Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal, Munir now holds more authority than any other military leader in the country’s recent history. His elevation follows constitutional amendments and reforms enacted earlier this year.

A Pattern of Provocation

This is far from Munir’s first hostile outburst. Even as Pakistan carried out airstrikes killing Afghan civilians in October, he escalated anti-India rhetoric and boasted about Islamabad’s nuclear capabilities. Days before terrorists massacred 26 civilians in Pahalgam, he again invoked Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein,” continuing a long line of inflammatory statements that do little to improve regional stability.

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