Annoy Trump Or Face People's Wrath: Two Hard Choices Before Pakistan’s Asim Munir Over Gaza

Last Updated:December 17, 2025, 14:47 IST

Analysts say Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir faces a Gaza dilemma, with any choice risking either Donald Trump’s anger or domestic backlash from a pro-Palestinian public.

Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Asim Munir holds a microphone during his visit at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR), in Mangla, Pakistan. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE)

Asim Munir, Pakistan’s most powerful military chief in decades, is facing the first major test of the sweeping powers recently granted to him. Washington under President Donald Trump is pushing Islamabad to contribute troops to a Gaza stabilisation force, but agreeing to the plan risks triggering serious backlash at home in a country where public opinion has remained strongly pro-Palestinian since the war began.

Field Marshal Asim Munir is expected to travel to Washington in the coming weeks for a third meeting with Trump in six months, a visit likely to centre on the proposed Gaza Stabilisation Force, according to a report by news agency Reuters.

Trump’s 20-point Gaza peace plan calls for troops from Muslim-majority nations to oversee a transition phase focused on reconstruction and economic recovery in the Palestinian coastal enclave, large parts of which have been reduced to rubble after more than two years of Israeli military bombardment.

Several countries remain wary of committing forces to a mission that includes disarming Hamas, fearing it could draw them directly into the conflict and inflame domestic anger among pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli populations.

Inviting Trump’s Wrath

“Not contributing to the Gaza stabilisation force could annoy Trump, which is no small matter for a Pakistani state that appears keen to remain in his good graces, largely to secure US investment and security assistance," Michael Kugelman, Senior Fellow for South Asia at the Washington-based Atlantic Council, told Reuters.

Munir has worked steadily to rebuild ties with Washington after years of mistrust. In June, he was hosted for a private lunch at the White House, the first time a US President received Pakistan’s army chief without civilian leaders present.

Pakistan’s formidable military capabilities have also raised expectations. “There is greater pressure on Munir to deliver his capacity," defence analyst and author Ayesha Siddiqa told Reuters.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said last month that Islamabad could consider contributing troops for peacekeeping duties, but made it clear that disarming Hamas was “not our job".

Threat From Islamist Groups

At home, Islamist groups retain the ability to mobilise large and often volatile street protests. Pakistani cities have repeatedly witnessed mass demonstrations over Gaza, with rallies drawing thousands.

Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a hardline anti-Israel Islamist group known for violent protests and its campaign to enforce strict blasphemy laws, remains a key concern. Although the government banned the group in October and arrested its leaders along with more than 1,500 supporters, security officials acknowledge that its ideology and street influence remain intact.

Any Pakistani troop presence in Gaza under a US-backed plan risks being portrayed by such groups as betrayal, a narrative that could quickly spill onto the streets.

Threat From Imran Khan

Munir is also confronting a political adversary who refuses to fade away. Former prime minister Imran Khan remains jailed, but his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, emerged as the single largest force in the 2024 national elections, underscoring his enduring popularity and the unresolved power struggle with the military establishment.

PTI has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to paralyse major cities through protests and long marches, and Khan’s supporters remain deeply hostile to Munir.

“People will say Asim Munir is doing Israel’s bidding. It would be foolish not to see it coming," Abdul Basit, Senior Associate Fellow at Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, told Reuters.

In recent weeks, Munir has held meetings with military and civilian leaders from Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt and Qatar, interactions that analysts believe are linked to consultations on the Gaza force.

The overriding risk, however, lies at home. Any Pakistani role in Gaza under a US-led framework could reignite Islamist protests and deepen political instability at a time when the country is already under strain.

Earlier this month, Munir was appointed chief of the defence forces, placing the army, navy and air force under his command, along with an extension until 2030. Constitutional amendments pushed through parliament have also granted him lifetime immunity from criminal prosecution.

“Few people in Pakistan enjoy the freedom to take risks the way Munir does. His power is now constitutionally protected," Kugelman said.

“Ultimately, it will be Munir’s rules, and his rules alone."

News world Annoy Trump Or Face People's Wrath: Two Hard Choices Before Pakistan’s Asim Munir Over Gaza

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