The Strategic Vacuum of General Asim Munir's Policy

As Pakistan's strategic landscape continues to shift amid internal instability and external challenges, one issue remains glaringly mishandled: Kashmir.

- SHABIR AHMAD

Under the leadership of Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, the once-pivot-al national issue has faded into diplomatic obscurity, raising serious concerns about Pakistan's geopolitical posture and moral commitment to the cause.

More than five years after India unilaterally revoked Article 370, effectively annexing Jammu & Kashmir, Pakistan's response—both diplomatic and strategic—has been tepid, fragmented, and ineffectual. And at the center of this inertia stands General Asim Munir, whose tenure has witnessed the quiet burial of what was once termed Pakistan's “jugular vein.”

Kashmir has historically been the centerpiece of Pakistan's foreign policy, a symbol of national unity and resistance. However, under General Munir, Islamabad's stance has not only softened—it has all but disappeared from the global conversation. Analysts cite a disturbing lack of direction, political will, and strategic innovation. General Munir, despite his intelligence background and reputation as a disciplinarian, has failed to articulate a coherent Kashmir doctrine. His silence on repeated Indian human rights violations in the valley has been deafening, with no major international outreach, multilateral lobbying, or even strong rhetorical responses.