A viral video showing a truck-mounted digital billboard in New York’s iconic Times Square has sparked intense online debate, as members of the Pakistani diaspora publicly mocked Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir with scathing labels like “Fraud Marshal” and “Liar.” The display, rotating through several messages, also targeted former President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, calling them “two crooks.”
Shared widely on social media platform X, including by journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, the footage reveals a coordinated protest that has resonated across political and military discourse in Pakistan. Critics described it as a moment of “international bezatti” (humiliation), reflecting growing anger among overseas Pakistanis over recent military failures and political unrest.
The billboard accused Munir of self-interest, illegitimacy, and deception. Other rotating messages included: “The Deceiver & His Two Crooks,” “Fraud Marshal,” “Liar, Why Don’t You Take a Poll,” and “Real Hero Standing With Imran Khan,” suggesting support for jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan. Another segment showed Khan behind bars with the message, “Illegally Detained for 2 Years,” highlighting perceptions of judicial and military overreach.
The backlash comes in the aftermath of Pakistan’s military losses during India’s Operation Sindoor in May 2025. Launched following the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir that killed 26 civilians, the Indian Air Force carried out precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK. High-value targets linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen, and The Resistance Front were neutralized, including JeM commander Abdul Rauf Azhar and family members of Masood Azhar. The Pakistani military reportedly suffered significant losses, leading to a ceasefire request within 72 hours.
Despite the setback, General Munir was controversially promoted to Field Marshal — a five-star rank rarely conferred and last held in 1959 — prompting allegations of undeserved recognition. On social media, he is now being derisively referred to as “Failed Marshal.”
The episode underscores a deeper legitimacy crisis facing Pakistan’s military and political elite, with diaspora-led protests emerging as a powerful new front of opposition.
