Key Points

It is clear that the Pakistan Army chief has resorted to lies once again, and the evidence presented by India tells a completely different story. This is, however, not the first time that Munir has lied blatantly. He has made similar claims in the United States as well as back in his own country.

Former Indian Army chief General V P Malik said that some army chiefs have a habit of indulging in bluff and bluster.

In a post on X, General Malik wrote, "Pakistani leaders, particularly some Army Chiefs, have always indulged in bluff and bluster. I believe the right response is to remain alert, respond on the ground when necessary, and to continue building our comprehensive national power. No need to join their daily theatrics.”

The latest remarks by Munir were made on August 11 at a closed-door felicitation organised by the Overseas Pakistani Foundation at Groot-Bijgarden Castle near Brussels. The event was attended by 500 members of the Pakistani community from across Europe.

Abhinav Pandya, founder of the Usasanas Foundation, an Indian based foreign policy and security think tank, told IANS that this is sheer desperation on the part of Munir. One must recall that the Pakistan Army was facing challenges from multiple ends.

The Balochistan National Army (BLA), Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Taliban had inflicted severe losses on the Pakistan Army. All this was happening at a time when Munir was in charge. His image as well as that of his army had taken a massive beating, and the very existence of the institution was being questioned, Pandya said.

Munir was at that time looking for a second term, and the doldrums that his army was in made him the least favourite candidate for the job. Moreover, his own legacy was under question, considering the losses the army faced, Abhinav Pandya added. If the army failed, the very existence of Pakistan would have come under question, he added.

In reality, the claims made by Munir are all a bluff and part of a narrative battle. The truth is that when India launched Operation Sindoor, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at 9.30 am on May 10. Rubio conveyed to Jaishankar that the Pakistanis were asking for a ceasefire. The request by Pakistan was made after India hit the Nur Khan air base with BrahMos and SCALP missiles. Jaishankar then conveyed to Rubio that any ceasefire request must be made from the Pakistan DGMO through the established channels.

Pandya adds that Pakistan realises that it cannot match India on the economic or military front. Hence, the conventional tactics are not going to work. Moreover, under strong leadership, India has proven that it will not take Pakistan’s misadventure kindly. The Pakistanis have now chosen the battle of narratives. In this arena, bluffs work, and hence Munir chose to indulge in the same to salvage his image and that of his army, he added.

On the question whether or not the Pakistani’s are buying Munir’s bluff, Pandya says that it would be hard to tell. There is hatred against the leadership, which is corrupt, but there is also a blind love for extremism. Munir knows this and hence can sell the anti-India narrative at a very high price and quickly, he adds.

Moreover, the Pakistani society does not comprise saints. It is a heavily radicalised society, and even if the army is not at the helm, then the likes of Masood Azhar would, he adds.

India has, however, maintained that Munir’s remarks are part of a familiar Pakistani playbook. The Ministry of External Affairs also called Munir’s claims nuclear sabre-rattling.

“Our attention has been drawn to remarks reportedly made by the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff while on a visit to the United States. Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan’s stock-in-trade,” the MEA statement read.

Munir had tried to play this card, but India called out the nuclear bluff during Operation Sindoor. Even in the aftermath of this operation, Munir had said in Washington that they are a nuclear state. If we are going down, we will take half the world down with us, Munir had said, according to media reports.

- IANS