Pakistan’s newly appointed Field Marshal Asim Munir has become the subject of online mockery after gifting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a framed image claimed to depict Pakistan’s Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos against India. The image, however, has been identified as a 2019 photograph of a Chinese military drill, raising questions about the authenticity of the narrative being projected.
The framed photo was presented during a dinner hosted by Munir in honour of the Pakistani armed forces’ performance during the recent military standoff with India. The high-profile event was attended by top political and military leaders, including President Asif Ali Zardari, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Senate Chairman Yusuf Raza Gilani. The gathering was meant to celebrate what Pakistani officials called their military’s “steadfast commitment” and “indomitable spirit” in the face of Indian retaliation during Operation Sindoor.
However, social media users were quick to fact-check the image, with several pointing out that it had originally been released by China’s Ministry of Defence in 2019 and showed PHL-03 long-range multiple launch rocket systems used in a Chinese military exercise. A simple reverse image search revealed the discrepancy, leading to widespread trolling of both Munir and the Pakistani establishment for allegedly faking military accomplishments.
Critics online accused the Pakistani military of engaging in “denial, deception, and delusion” by presenting a doctored narrative of success against India. “Pak PM just gifted Asim Munir a photo from a 2019 Chinese military drill—faking war glory against India. Instead, India provided corroborated evidences of strikes with precision and power during #OperationSindoor,” one user posted on X, formerly Twitter.
Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos was Pakistan’s military response to India’s Operation Sindoor, launched after a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam in April 2025. Pakistan claimed a series of drone and missile strikes on Indian positions across northern and western sectors, but Indian forces successfully intercepted most of these attacks and released footage and satellite data corroborating the effectiveness of their counter-operations.
This latest embarrassment further undermines the credibility of Pakistan’s wartime propaganda, as the country continues to grapple with the aftermath of the military escalation and rising international scrutiny over its handling of cross-border terrorism.
