Pakistan’s chief of defence forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, has claimed that the country received ‘divine help’ during the military confrontation with India in May, saying the assistance was felt during the days of intense fighting that followed Indian strikes on terror targets.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (R) and President Asif Ali Zardari (C) jointly conferring the Baton of Field Marshal on Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir.(AFP)
Addressing the National Ulema Conference in Islamabad earlier this month, Munir said Pakistan experienced divine intervention during the conflict that erupted after India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
“We felt it (divine help),” Munir said, according to clips of his speech aired on local television on Sunday.
India’s Operation Sindoor led to four days of sharp military exchanges between the two neighbours before both sides reached an understanding to halt hostilities on May 10.
Munir’s speech was heavily couched in religious references, with the army chief drawing parallels between modern-day Pakistan and the Islamic state established by the Prophet over 1,400 years ago in the Arab region. He cited multiple verses from the Quran and underlined what he described as Pakistan’s special status in the Islamic world.
Referring to the broader Muslim world, Munir said there are 57 Islamic countries globally, but claimed that Pakistan had been granted a unique honour by God. “Among them, God gave us the honour of being the protectors of Haramain Sharifain,” he said, in a reference to Makkah and Madina.
Alongside these remarks, Munir also addressed Pakistan’s security concerns along its western border, calling on Afghanistan’s Taliban government to make a clear choice between Pakistan and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He alleged that Afghan nationals form the bulk of militants infiltrating into Pakistan.
“In the TTP formations coming into Pakistan, 70 per cent are Afghans,” he said, questioning whether Afghanistan was responsible for the bloodshed of Pakistani civilians.
Reiterating that call, Munir said the Afghan Taliban must decide whether they stand with Pakistan or with the TTP.
He also asserted that in an Islamic state, only the state has the authority to declare jihad. “No one can issue a fatwa for jihad without the order, permission and will of those vested with authority,” he told the conference.
While official details of the December 10 address were not released, the remarks – particularly the claim of divine assistance during the India-Pakistan clashes – have drawn attention amid ongoing tensions and debates over the role of religion in Pakistan’s military and security narrative.