General Asim Munir, the current Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, is being seen as one of the key people responsible for the growing tension between India and Pakistan. Many Indian officials believe that he is the mastermind behind the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, which killed 25 tourists and one local. For India, this attack is being treated as the worst civilian massacre in Kashmir in 20 years.

But this is not the first time Munir has been in the spotlight. Six years ago, when he was the head of Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI, he is believed to have planned the Pulwama attack of 2019, in which 40 Indian CRPF personnel were killed. Now, as the top army officer of Pakistan and perhaps the most powerful man in the country, General Munir is once again at the centre of a dangerous storm.

So, who exactly is this man, and why is he so dangerous?

What makes General Munir different from other Pakistani generals?

General Asim Munir is known as a very calculating and powerful person. He was earlier the chief of the ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) and Director General of Military Intelligence. That means he knows how to handle both spying operations and military planning. He has been careful and smart in building his control over the army and the political system in Pakistan.

In fact, when Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, made Munir the ISI chief in 2018, he later sacked him after just 9 months. The reason? Munir reportedly told Khan that his wife, Bushra Bibi, was involved in corrupt activities. This made Imran Khan angry, and Munir never forgot the humiliation. He waited for the right moment to hit back.

When Imran Khan was removed in April 2022 in a military-supported political change, Munir got his chance. Later that year, he became the army chief. Within months, Imran Khan was arrested and jailed for 14 years on corruption charges. It became clear that Munir was not a man who forgives or forgets.

Today, he is not only the army chief but also a key power player in politics, law, and the economy of Pakistan. Experts say Munir is now more powerful than any civilian leader in the country.

What do experts say about Munir's strategy?

A top Indian defence expert, who does not want to be named, said, “This is not an asymmetric war like Israel vs Hamas or Azerbaijan vs Armenia. This is between two of the most professional armies, who are equally matched and have nuclear capabilities. Anything we do, we should expect him to retaliate. Controlling the escalation ladder of conflict will not be easy. Judging by Munir’s recent actions, we should be prepared for unpredictability and surprises, including him initiating something and blaming us for it.”

That means, if India responds to the Pahalgam terror attack with military action, Munir might strike back quickly, possibly even before India finishes its move. He is not someone who acts in panic. He is believed to plan many steps ahead, like a game of chess.

Another strategist told India Today, “Munir would have gamed all options beforehand and is moving with greater caution than normal. We need to carefully gauge him, as he has extensive intelligence and operational exposure... We have to keep second-guessing his moves till we have some tentative answers at least. Specialists also need to do a detailed psychological profiling based on his behaviour and statements.”

How did Munir consolidate his power inside Pakistan?

When Munir became army chief in late 2022, he was not very popular. Many army officers supported Imran Khan and were not happy with Munir's appointment. But Munir acted fast. He removed army officers who opposed him, including some senior commanders, and replaced them with loyal officers. He also strengthened his grip on the judiciary and politics.

He helped pass a law in Pakistan’s Parliament that allowed him to stay in power until 2027, adding two more years to his original term. He also made sure that Supreme Court judges close to Imran Khan were removed or sidelined. In another major move, Munir took control of Pakistan’s struggling economy by creating a special council called the Special Investment Facilitation Council, which is run by the army.

Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst from the US, said, “There was severe political instability, the economy was on the verge of collapse, there was resurgent terrorism and there was marked internal dissent in the army. He has addressed those problems better than others and has kept things under control. He has his failures, but in terms of his actions, Munir is resolute and exhibits a supreme level of confidence in the way he has inserted himself in so many different aspects of public policy.”

However, not everything has gone Munir’s way. In recent weeks, Baloch rebels hijacked the Jaffar Express, a major train in Pakistan. This hurt Munir’s image and the army’s credibility. Also, many young people in Pakistan are unhappy with how the country is being run.

General Asim Munir is seen as a deeply religious person. He is a Hafiz-e-Quran, someone who has memorised the entire Islamic holy book. He reportedly passed this test while he was working as a Pakistani army attaché in Saudi Arabia. His father, Syed Sarwar, who migrated from Jalandhar, India, during Partition, was a schoolteacher and used to give sermons in a mosque in Rawalpindi.

Munir grew up in a madrassa before joining the army through the Officers Training School (OTS). This was a less elite route than the Pakistan Military Academy, but Munir still rose quickly through the ranks.

A former senior officer of India’s external intelligence agency RAW, Rana Banerjee, says, “Munir’s first name, Asim, means the great saviour, and the army chief seems driven by a deep sense of religious piety and purpose. He is meticulous, especially in bringing his rivals to book, but he is not a visionary and seems hackneyed, even straitjacketed, in his thinking. Of late, he has adopted a deliberately insulting anti-India tone.

Why India is watching him closely

India now believes that Munir may have personally approved of or planned the Pahalgam attack. As the Indian government prepares to respond militarily, General Munir’s past behaviour, personality, and unpredictable style are being carefully studied.

He is a man who knows intelligence, military operations, and psychological tactics. He has power over the army, politics, the courts, and the economy in Pakistan. He is religious and proud and believes in Pakistan's strength. This makes him one of the most dangerous generals India has faced in recent times.

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