Following a deadly bombing targeting the Zaffar Express in Balochistan, Munir rushed to the western frontier and accused India of actively promoting and sponsoring terrorism inside Pakistan.
His remarks came during an Eid-ul-Azha visit with frontline troops in Zhob and Quetta, where he vowed to pursue “terror facilitators with full force” and insisted that external orchestration could not weaken the nation’s resolve.
Top intelligence sources, however, revealed that this aggressive rhetoric is a smokescreen designed to mask severe administrative panic. Pakistan’s armed forces are facing an unprecedented collapse in troop morale, compounded by Beijing’s growing dissatisfaction over stalled China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and a devastating wave of insurgent strikes.
The military has recently branded alleged Indian involvement as “Fitna-al-Hindustan,” but analysts argue this is a textbook state response aimed at diverting public attention from chronic governance failures, unchecked radicalisation, and flawed security policies.
By conjuring up the spectre of Indian sponsorship for native Baloch and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) insurgencies, the high command is attempting to rally a disillusioned public around the flag.
The bombing of the Zaffar Express was a highly coordinated attack executed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), targeting security personnel aboard the train. Rather than addressing glaring gaps in domestic counter-terrorism frameworks, Munir framed the insurgency as a foreign-funded proxy war. Intelligence analysts stress that this narrative is designed to obscure the military’s inability to protect Chinese state assets, which have repeatedly been targeted in recent months.
The real driver of Pakistan’s current panic lies in its strained relationship with China. Intelligence sources confirm that Beijing has raised intense concerns over recurring attacks on Chinese personnel and multi-billion-dollar CPEC projects.
The Chinese leadership is increasingly dissatisfied with Islamabad’s protection mechanisms, leading to significant project delays and stalled development in Gwadar. Munir’s sudden visits to Balochistan are seen as frantic attempts to project control and reassure Chinese auditors, who are threatening to freeze future capital inflows unless security guarantees are met.
This escalation comes at a time when Munir has consolidated his grip over the state apparatus. Sweeping constitutional changes have promoted him to Field Marshal and Chief of Defence Forces, extending his influence far beyond traditional military boundaries.
Yet this consolidation of power contrasts sharply with the ground reality. Intelligence sources report that morale among mid-level and frontline soldiers is at its lowest point in recent history. Troops on the western frontier feel trapped between relentless BLA ambushes and a hostile local population that resists Rawalpindi’s heavy-handed tactics.
While Munir continues to praise the “unwavering vigilance” of his forces in official statements, intelligence data indicates widespread fatigue within the military and Law Enforcement Agencies.
The spiralling cost of maintaining the security state has left the establishment struggling to sustain its narrative of strength. Munir’s aggressive posturing increasingly appears less a demonstration of sovereign authority and more a defensive counter-narrative from a leadership running out of answers.
Agencies
