Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir

Force in Play

Completed Tehran visit; Pakistani sources confirm second-round US-Iran talks targeted for Monday April 21 in Islamabad, coinciding with ceasefire expiry

President Trump on April 19 threatened to destroy Iran's bridges and power plants — warning the 'whole country is going to get blown up' if Tehran fails to sign a deal — while simultaneously confirming a US delegation was heading to Islamabad for a second round of negotiations before the April 21 ceasefire expiry. Trump also disclosed he had asked Chinese President Xi Jinping not to supply weapons to Iran. The escalating rhetoric came as Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) formally closed the Strait of Hormuz again on April 18–19, citing the continued US naval blockade of Iranian ports, less than 48 hours after Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had declared the waterway 'completely open.' The IRGC fired on at least two India-flagged vessels — the Sanmar Herald and Jag Arnav — whose crews cited the Foreign Ministry's clearance only to be ordered away under fire. India summoned Iran's ambassador in protest. The US blockade has now turned back 23 ships and is estimated to be costing Iran roughly $435 million per day.

Updated Apr 19

Force in Play

Directing military pause during Eid ceasefire and China-mediated peace talks

Pakistan and Afghanistan are locked in their most intense military confrontation since the Taliban's 2021 takeover, with escalating cross-border strikes claiming hundreds of lives. On March 17, 2026, a Pakistani airstrike devastated a 2,000-bed hospital in Kabul, killing approximately 400 people and injuring nearly 250 others according to Afghan officials, marking the deadliest single incident. Pakistan denied responsibility. The conflict stems from Pakistan's demands that the Taliban crack down on Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants sheltering on Afghan soil. A five-day Eid al-Fitr ceasefire mediated by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar held from March 19-24, 2026, preventing immediate resumption of hostilities.

Updated Apr 2

Force in Play

In office; leading counterinsurgency efforts

Pakistan has fought five insurgencies in Balochistan since 1948. The fifth, triggered by the 2006 killing of tribal leader Akbar Bugti, has become the deadliest—and on January 31, 2026, the Balochistan Liberation Army launched simultaneous attacks across 14 cities, killing at least 21 people, freeing 30 prisoners, and abducting a deputy commissioner. The operation demonstrated coordination and lethality that caught Islamabad off guard.

Updated Jan 31