Asim Munir: ’Shame On You...’ Pakistanis In US Show Field Marshal His Actual 'Aukaat,’ Call Him Mass Murderer

General Asim Munir, the head of Pakistan's army, was at the center of a lot of controversy during his recent trip to the United States. There were public protests and diplomatic clarifications.  This happens at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan are high.

Heckling in Washington, D.C.

When General Asim Munir got at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C., a group of protesters yelled at him. The protesters called him a "mass murderer" and used violent language, like calling him a "jackal," which is an Urdu word that means coward.  The encounter was caught on camera and shared extensively, showing how controversial Munir's presence in the U.S. capital was.

WATCH | Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir faced public backlash during his U.S. visit, with protesters shouting “shame on you, mass murderer” and “dictator” as he arrived at a Washington hotel#AsimMunir #PakistanArmyChief #HumanRightsAbuse #WarCrimesAllegations pic.twitter.com/g10XveBL6q

— News18 (@CNNnews18) June 17, 2025

The US says it didn't invite Munir to the military parade.

Before the protests, there were allegations that General Munir had been asked to come to the 250th anniversary march of the US Army in Washington, D.C.  But the White House formally disputed these accusations, saying that no foreign military chiefs were asked to come.  This denial came following a political response in India, where the reported invitation was considered as an insult to diplomacy because of the previous fights between India and Pakistan.  The Congress party and other Indian political parties said that the claimed invite hurt India's diplomatic status. The BJP, on the other hand, said the Congress was circulating false information.

Information on Asim Munir's military career

General Munir has been the 11th Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan since 2022. He was recently upgraded to Field Marshal, making him only the second person in Pakistan's history to hold this high military title after former President Ayub Khan.  During his time in office, there have been big changes in the military and politics, such as Pakistan's response to the Pahalgam terror incident and the military exchanges that followed with India.  Munir has been quite strict about Kashmir and water rights. He has famously said that Pakistan would never back down on the Indus Waters Treaty, which impacts the basic rights of 240 million people in Pakistan.

Consequences for strategy and diplomacy

Reports say that General Munir's trip to the U.S was part of a planned effort to ease tensions in the area.  He was supposed to meet with high-ranking officials from the Pentagon and the State Department. General Michael Kurilla, the head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), lauded Munir's leadership in Pakistan's fight against terrorism, particularly the detention of high-value ISIS-Khorasan suspects.  Kurilla stressed how important it is for the U.S. to keep strong military connections with Pakistan.

Political and protest reactions in the US

The visit also led to protests by Pakistani diaspora groups, such as the US branch of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which called for rallies outside the Pakistani Embassy in Washington.  These protests were against what they called "undeclared martial law" in Pakistan and called for free and fair elections. They were a sign of political discontent in Pakistan that is connected to Munir's military power.