Asim Munir chooses Bahawalpur for his latest show of force: Why India sees a dangerous terror link | Explained

During the Bahawalpur visit, Asim Munir oversaw Exercise Steadfast Resolve at Khairpur Tamewali, where the Pakistan Army showcased drones, electronic warfare systems and advanced surveillance platforms.

Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir’s visit to Bahawalpur garrison, seen by Indian intelligence as a signal reaffirming ties to Jaish-e-Mohammed, raises concerns about Pakistan’s ongoing reliance on terror-linked leverage despite claims of modernization.

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Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir’s carefully choreographed visit to the Bahawalpur garrison may have been projected as a routine military inspection, but Indian intelligence agencies see it very differently. According to top intelligence sources quoted by CNN-News18, the visit was a calculated signal rooted in Pakistan’s long-standing use of terror proxies, particularly Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The timing, location and optics of Munir’s presence have raised serious red flags in New Delhi, especially given Bahawalpur’s central role in jihadist infrastructure and its recent targeting by India during Operation Sindoor. Far from a neutral military stop, the visit is being read as a deliberate reaffirmation by Rawalpindi of old terror linkages that it has never fully abandoned.

Why Bahawalpur matters

Bahawalpur is not just another cantonment. Indian intelligence officials describe it as an ideological and operational nerve centre of Jaish-e-Mohammed. The city has long been associated with the group’s leadership, training infrastructure and recruitment networks. Its significance has only increased since India struck Jaish facilities in Bahawalpur during Operation Sindoor last year. In that context, Munir’s high-profile presence carries layered messaging aimed well beyond routine troop morale.

Optics over operations

During the visit, Munir oversaw Exercise Steadfast Resolve at Khairpur Tamewali, where the Pakistan Army showcased drones, electronic warfare systems and advanced surveillance platforms. The drills were framed by Pakistani officials as proof of a shift toward multi-domain warfare. However, Indian assessments cited by CNN-News18 argue that the exercise itself was secondary. The choice of Bahawalpur as the stage was the real message.

Munir’s rhetoric reinforced this posture. “In future, technological manoeuvres will replace physical manoeuvres and will fundamentally alter the way offensive and defensive operations are undertaken. Therefore, the Pakistan Armed Forces are embracing and absorbing technology at a rapid pace. In this process innovation, indigenisation and adaptation shall remain fundamental,” he said.

Indian analysts see these remarks as outward-facing deterrence messaging directed at India, layered over a more pointed internal signal.

Reassuring old assets

According to intelligence inputs shared with CNN-News18, Bahawalpur continues to function as an ideological anchor for Jaish-e-Mohammed. Munir’s visit is viewed as symbolic reassurance to jihadist elements that Pakistan’s military establishment remains invested in protecting traditional assets, despite international pressure and repeated denials.

Sources stress that the presence of the Army chief in such a sensitive location is unlikely to be accidental, particularly at a time when Pakistan is under scrutiny for terror financing and cross-border militancy.

Soft power as cover

Munir also inaugurated the ROHI eSkills Learning Hub, presented officially as an initiative to promote digital education in southern Punjab. Pakistani narratives highlighted development and youth empowerment. Indian intelligence assessments, however, see this as an attempt to dilute the optics of a visit steeped in security and militant symbolism.

The juxtaposition of tech drills and civilian outreach is seen as a familiar strategy to mask the deeper strategic intent of the visit.

A signal India cannot ignore

Indian officials believe the real takeaway is not the hardware on display but the location chosen to display it. At a moment when Pakistan claims it seeks stability and deterrence, Rawalpindi’s decision to centre a major military engagement in Bahawalpur is interpreted as a blunt reminder that its security doctrine still rests on terror-linked leverage.

For New Delhi, Munir’s visit underscores a familiar pattern. Behind the rhetoric of modernisation and reform, Pakistan’s military continues to lean on the same old instruments that have long destabilised the region.