Asim Munir claimed Pakistan received “divine help” during the India-Pakistan military clash following Operation Sindoor in May.
His religious framing of a nuclear standoff, including Quran recitations, sparked jokes and criticism on social media.
Munir also warned the Afghan Taliban over TTP militancy and said only the state can declare jihad in an Islamic country.
Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces, Field Marshal Asim Munir, addressed the National Ulema Conference in Islamabad on 10 December 2025, drawing attention to his “divine help” remark and Quran recitation. Munir said, “We felt it,” while speaking about the divine help during the military confrontation with India following Operation Sindoor in May 2025.
Munir addressed the gathering of religious scholars, describing what he called supernatural support for Pakistan’s armed forces. He was referring to the four-day missile exchange that lasted until 10 May between the two nations after Operation Sindoor on 7 May 2025, which was a retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 civilians. The notion of an overt divine intervention when two nuclear-armed states were engaged in a military standoff drew jokes from social media users, with many quipping about missiles and BrahMos rockets being mistaken for miracles.
Munir further added that the Islamic world has bestowed a unique honour on Pakistan among the 57 Islamic nations of the world. He said, “God gave us the honour of being the protectors of Haramain Sharifain,” relating it to the holy cities of Makkah and Madina, situated in present-day Saudi Arabia. The statement blended security claims with religious symbolism, although Saudi Arabia has not assigned any formal custodial role of the two holy cities to Pakistan.
He also addressed tensions along the country’s western border, raising security concerns. He asked the Taliban government to make a clear choice between Islamabad and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He alleged that militants infiltrating from Afghanistan are largely Afghan nationals, a claim denied by Kabul. Islamabad has long-standing concerns regarding cross-border militancy, which were highlighted by Munir’s question, “Is Afghanistan not spilling the blood of our Pakistani children?” He further emphasised that only the state authority can declare jihad in an Islamic country, saying, “No one can issue a fatwa for jihad without the order, permission and will of those vested with authority.”
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