In the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated significantly. Amidst this geopolitical heat, a storm of speculation erupted on social media over the whereabouts of Pakistan Army Chief, General Syed Asim Munir. Unverified reports began circulating, claiming that General Munir had either fled the country with his family or was hiding in a secure bunker in Rawalpindi. These rumors triggered a wave of memes, conspiracy theories, and trending hashtags like #MunirOut, with users from both India and Pakistan questioning his sudden absence from the public eye.
The speculation was fueled by General Munir’s media silence following India’s diplomatic offensive. Some posts even claimed he had gone “MIA” (missing in action), as Pakistani political leaders continued ramping up their rhetoric against India. In response to the viral buzz, the Pakistan Prime Minister’s Office attempted damage control by releasing a group photograph of General Munir with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the PMA Kakul military academy. The photo, dated April 26, 2025, was meant to silence critics and prove the Army Chief was still in the country.
However, the image only intensified online skepticism. Social media users questioned the timing and the conspicuous mention of the date in the post. Some even went as far as suggesting the photograph might be AI-generated, posted solely to counter growing speculation about Munir’s disappearance.
Meanwhile, India has taken sweeping diplomatic steps following the attack, which is believed to be orchestrated by Pakistan-based terror groups. New Delhi has suspended the Indus Water Treaty—an unprecedented move—revoked all visas issued to Pakistani nationals, and closed the Wagah-Attari border. These actions follow intelligence reports pointing to the involvement of The Resistance Front (TRF), a known proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), in the Pahalgam massacre.
The attack came just days after General Munir made provocative remarks at the Overseas Pakistanis Convention on April 16. He reiterated Pakistan’s claim over Kashmir, calling it the country’s “jugular vein” and vowed unwavering support for Kashmiri separatists. Addressing expatriate Pakistanis, he emphasized their role as cultural ambassadors and reminded them of their connection to a “superior ideology and culture.”
As the political and military rhetoric intensifies, and with social media speculation refusing to die down, the region remains on edge—gripped by both security fears and a rapidly evolving narrative war.
