Is Pakistan trying to stir unrest in India with Kashmir, Hindu remarks as Balochistan burns?

In a speech loaded with historical grievance and nationalistic fervour, Pakistan’s army chief General Asim Munir on Thursday urged overseas Pakistanis to instil in their children a sense of national identity shaped by the country’s founding ideology. Speaking at the Overseas Pakistanis Convention in Islamabad, Munir called on his audience to retell Pakistan’s story to the next generation, framing it as a defence against losing cultural and religious distinctiveness.

“You have to tell Pakistan’s story to your children so that they don’t forget that our forefathers thought we were different from Hindus in every possible aspect of life,” said Munir. “Our religions are different, our customs are different, our traditions are different, our thoughts are different, our ambitions are different. That was the foundation of the two-nation theory that was laid there. We are two nations, we are not one nation.”

The comments echoed the central ideological plank used to justify Pakistan’s creation in 1947, known as the two-nation theory, which argued that Muslims and Hindus were irreconcilably different. Munir’s invocation of the two-nation theory — the ideological backbone of Pakistan’s founding under Muhammad Ali Jinnah — thus marks a deliberate return to an era of sharply polarised narratives. “No matter where you live, remember—your roots lie in a high civilisation, noble ideology, and proud identity,” Munir added, speaking to a packed hall in Islamabad.


India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded swiftly and sharply. “How can anything foreign be in a jugular vein? This is a Union Territory of India,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday. “Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories by that country.”

Is Pakistan trying to cause a stir amid Waqf debate?

However, Indian intelligence agencies viewed Munir’s speech as a carefully timed attempt to distract from Pakistan’s deepening domestic crises. Sources told ToI that the military’s credibility had suffered amid the ongoing conflict in Balochistan and a wave of violence in Karachi and elsewhere. Escalating clashes with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State have further stretched the army’s resources. One source suggested the timing of the remarks, coinciding with discussions around amendments to India’s Waqf Act, might be aimed at provoking Indian Muslims and emboldening Pakistan-based terrorist outfits to regroup and destabilise the region.

“Such statements are diversionary tactics which have been tried in the past too and have not worked. Their internal security is in shambles and that is why they need such rhetoric,” a senior intelligence officer told ToI.

Munir’s speech was widely criticised for its polarising language and the risk it posed to already fragile regional relations. His assertion that Pakistan and India remain ideologically incompatible, especially through his call to revive the two-nation theory, was seen as a manoeuvre to rally support at home during a time of growing public dissatisfaction. Critics pointed out that Munir’s renewed focus on Kashmir served as a deflection from internal strife, including recent attacks by the Baloch Liberation Army. Munir had dismissed the group’s impact, saying, “Even 10 generations of terrorists cannot harm Pakistan.”

Political observers saw the address as a bid to reinforce the army’s influence amid rising unrest. By invoking emotionally charged issues such as Kashmir and religious identity, Munir appeared to be appealing to nationalist sentiments within Pakistan. At the same time, Indian social media users condemned his anti-Hindu statements as “shameful”.

Munir also sought to downplay security challenges facing his own forces, suggesting that Pakistan remains unshaken despite threats. “1.3 million-strong Indian Army failing to intimidate Pakistan,” he said, without acknowledging the overstretched state of Pakistan’s own military as it faces persistent threats in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

As Pakistan continues to battle economic instability and diplomatic isolation, analysts warned that such rhetoric may deepen divisions within society and further harm relations with neighbours. While Munir’s message may strike a chord with some among the diaspora, especially those with a nostalgic view of Pakistan’s founding ideals, critics say it risks burdening future generations with a legacy of antagonism that could hinder efforts at regional stability and reconciliation.

Reiterating Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir, Munir told the convention, “Our stance is very clear. It was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, and we will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle.”