'Islamist in uniform': Why Pakistan army chief Asim Munir is a dangerous 'jihadi general'

Unlike many of his predecessors who came from elite military or bureaucratic backgrounds, Asim Munir comes from a modest upbringing.

The rabble-rousing Pakistan army chief Gen Asim Munir has laid the foundation of a dangerous escalation ladder in the subcontinent, drawing India into one of its most intense conflicts with Pakistan. Munir, who is the head of the all-powerful military of Pakistan, made a provocative speech just days before the Pahalgam attack, proclaiming that "Hindus and Muslims are fundamentally different from each other".

In an address to a gathering of Pakistanis based abroad, Munir said that Pakistan's stance on Kashmir is absolutely clear: that it's the "jugular vein of Pakistan", adding that his country will never forget this.

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The speech, which is now being seen as a likely trigger for the Pahalgam attack and the consequent war-like situation, was the embodiment of Munir's radical ideology which blends religious zealotry with military power. It is also the reason why Munir is described by many experts as a "jihadi general", perhaps even more dangerous than Gen Zia-ul-Haq.

But a look at Munir's background and his dictatorial traits illustrate why he is willing to resort to a dangerous game, one that his country cannot even afford to play.

Munir's rise

Unlike many of his predecessors who came from elite military or bureaucratic backgrounds, Asim Munir comes from a modest upbringing.

He was educated at a madrassa before joining the army and is a Hafiz-e-Quran, a Muslim who has memorised the Islamic holy book by heart. As Army chief, he often incorporates Quranic verses and Islamic theology into his speeches, effortlessly switching between English, Urdu and classical Arabic.

Munir’s upbringing in a deeply religious environment is believed to have shaped his ideological outlook and reinforced his hardline stance on the two-nation theory — the foundational idea behind Pakistan’s creation.

His background has also shaped his worldview, where religious ideology intertwines with strategic goals. Asim, whose very name literally translates to Guardian or Protector, sees himself as the custodian of Pakistan’s ideological purity, much like his predecessors, but with a more forceful approach.

His incendiary remarks about the difference between Hindus and Muslims and an emphasis on Pakistan’s Islamic identity are a case in point.

Ajay Bisaria, ex-Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan, told India Today that Munir wants to consolidate power in Pakistan by appealing to the right-wing force - especially since he does not have the support of the liberal elite.

The same India Today article quoted an unnamed Pakistani expert as saying that Munir is trying to appeal to the "Jihadi Pakistan" - the hardline Islamist side of the country, which is different from the more liberal view of normalising ties with neighbours.

“There is a Jihadi Pakistan which is all about creating a Pakistani identity based on an irreconcilable antipathy towards India ... Munir is appealing to the Jihadi Pakistan, which is around 60 per cent of the population," the expert told India Today.

In his Op-Ed for The Times of India, Bisaria said that Munir, like Zia, wants to establish the mullah-military alliance in Pakistan - an army that is backed by the clerics.

"Under his doctrine, the military is defender of not the borders alone but of ideological frontiers," Bisaria said.

Ayesha Siddiqa, a UK-based Pakistani author, has said that is an Islamist in uniform who is unlike any other general Pakistan has ever seen.

Siddiqa, in an interview to StratNews Global, said that Munir wants to build his own legacy in Pakistan, which can prove to be dangerous for that country.

The Pulwama attack in 2019, which happened when he was the ISI chief, and now the Pahalgam attack, are perhaps part of a broader shift he is trying to orchestrate as Pakistan's most powerful individual.