Asim Munir Orchestrated Pahalgam Attack To Trigger War, Boost Own Standing: Imran Khan Aide

Pakistani-American political activist Salman Ahmed, a close aide of former prime minister Imran Khan, has levelled a sensational allegation against Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir, claiming the Pahalgam attack was “arranged” to provoke a military confrontation with India and reap benefits from the confrontation.

Ahmed made the claim while discussing a recent letter signed by 42 US lawmakers urging the State Department to scrutinise Munir’s conduct and alleged human rights abuses.

Ahmed said Pakistani-American groups have for years warned the US administration, under both former President Joe Biden and currently Donald Trump, that Pakistan’s military establishment has undermined democratic institutions since the removal of Imran Khan in April 2022. He described Munir as “a danger to the region”.

“Pakistan is a nuclear armed state. You cannot have a militarised government, a dictatorship. We have pointed out that Asim Munir is a mentally deranged officer. He was retired and he should not be anywhere near the armed forces. Though the latest letter to the Secretary of State, pointing out Munir’s war crimes, we have raised an alarm that he is a danger not only to Pakistan’s democracy, but to the region,” he said.

Ahmed also asserted that the diaspora has repeatedly documented what they call political repression, extrajudicial actions and threats to families of US-based dissidents. Ahmed himself claims his relatives in Pakistan were abducted and tortured, alleging this fits a pattern of “transnational repression” that US lawmakers are now reviewing through proposed sanctions legislation.

“There is a Bill which is being passed on transnational repression, which says that any country, any military, any official who is involved in transnational repression, their visa will be frozen, their assets will be frozen, they will be charged. So, you know, Munir thinks he’s going to become the king of Pakistan. He has kept Imran Khan in isolation for the last seven weeks. But our pressure from America is going to continue.”

He added: “The most important thing is that Munir, in June, promised Trump everything from Pakistan. He made huge promises like oil and minerals and cryptocurrency. And President Trump is not someone with patience. His patience has run out. And he’s saying that you promised all this stuff to me in the White House, where is it now? So, the pressure is also rising in the White House.”