The aftermath of the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of at least 26 people, has seen a flurry of diplomatic and political activity between India and Pakistan, but a conspicuous silence from Pakistan’s Islamic  fundamentalist Army Chief, General Asim Munir.

While civilian leaders in Islamabad, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, have issued statements condemning the attack and rejecting Indian accusations of Pakistani involvement, General Munir has notably refrained from making any public comment since the incident.

This silence is particularly striking given General Munir’s recent rhetoric. Just days before the attack, he had described Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein” and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the issue, using language that underscored the military’s traditional hardline stance.

Despite this, in the wake of the massacre, Munir has delegated the response to the civilian government, allowing them to handle the escalating tit-for-tat measures with India. Pakistan’s government has convened its National Security Committee to formulate a response, announced retaliatory diplomatic actions, and denied any links to the militant group responsible, The Resistance Front, believed to be a splinter of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Analysts suggest that the army chief’s silence may be a calculated move to avoid further inflaming tensions at a time when both nations are on high alert and the risk of military escalation is significant. 

In Pakistan, this approach has been interpreted as an attempt by the military to avoid direct confrontation, while still maintaining a firm stance on the Kashmir issue through previous statements and indirect signalling. Meanwhile, Indian officials have pointed to Munir’s earlier comments as evidence of Pakistan’s continued support for militant groups in Kashmir, fuelling demands for a strong response from New Delhi.

Pakistan’s civilian leadership has been active in managing the diplomatic fallout from the Kashmir attack, General Asim Munir’s silence stands out, reflecting both the delicacy of the current crisis and the military’s decision to let the government take the lead—at least for now.

Agencies