● General Asim Munir’s statement defending women’s honor is widely criticized as hypocritical, given his regime’s documented abuses.
● Under Munir’s rule, women have faced arbitrary detentions, torture, and forced disappearances, contradicting his claims of safeguarding women’s rights.
In a recent address on February 16, 2025, General Asim Munir, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, posed the rhetorical question, “Who are you to take away the honor of women?” This statement, intended to position him as a defender of women’s rights, ignited a firestorm of criticism, exposing what many see as blatant hypocrisy, especially in light of documented brutalities against women under his unannounced cruel martial law.
Dissecting the Statement
General Munir proclaimed, “Who are you to take away the honor of women? Islam has honored women in every aspect of life.” He further said that no individual or group has the authority to strip women of their dignity, framing himself as a protector of women’s honor, seemingly condemning those who would strip them of their rights.
Exposing this Failed Deception
General Munir’s words defies the ground realities hollow in the face of documented cases of violence, harassment, and state repression against women—many of whom were targeted under his military-backed fascist regime. His claim to protect women’s honor is completely contradicted by the realities of his rule, which has presided over some of the worst abuses against politically active women in recent history.
Below, we highlight just a few of the most egregious examples of state-backed oppression against women, demonstrating how his rhetoric is nothing more than an empty platitude designed to mask systemic abuse:
Key Cases of Women’s Rights Abuses Under Munir’s Dictatorship:
Bushra Bibi’s Arrest (November 15, 2023):
• Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, was arrested under highly questionable circumstances. Not only was she detained in a politically motivated case, but reports of isolation, mistreatment, and humiliationsurfaced. In an act of unprecedented and grotesque violation of privacy, details of her menstrual cycle were discussed in court and even broadcasted on military-controlled television, an act meant to degrade and shame her publicly in an attempt to make Imran Khan submit to the fascist setup. This disgusting spectacle alone destroys any claim Munir makes about respecting women’s honor.
Former Minister Dr. Yasmin Rashid’s Detention (August 22, 2024):
• A 75-year-old cancer patient and senior PTI leader, Dr. Yasmin Rashid was forcibly detained and subjected to inhumane conditions. Despite her fragile health, she was treated without an ounce of respect or dignity, further exposing Munir’s hypocritical claims about women’s honor.
Mass Arrests of Female Protesters (May 2024 – Present):
• Women who participated in anti-government protests were rounded up, detained, and subjected to verbal and physical harassment at the hands of law enforcement. In cities like Lahore and Peshawar, reports adn videos emerged of women being dragged by their hair, locked up without due process, and harassed for merely exercising their right to dissent.
Statistical Reality: Numbers That Expose Munir’s Lie
Political Violence Against Women:
• Over 300 female PTI members and activists have been arrested since May 2023, many of whom were subjected to prolonged detention without trial.
• Multiple reports indicate that detained women were denied access to legal representation and, in some cases, faced coercion to denounce their political affiliations.
Forced Disappearances:
• Since 2021, over 500 women activists have reportedly been abducted, with many still missing, raising serious concerns about state complicity.
Social Media Backlash: The People Call Out Munir’s Lies
The hypocrisy of Munir’s statement was immediately met with fierce criticism on X, where people said:
● “Asim Munir talks about honor for women while his forces torture, strip, & detain them. The hypocrisy is deafening.”
● “He speaks of women’s rights while his army abuses them. The audacity!”
● “If only he protected all women the way he protects Maryam Nawaz and Asifa Bhutto!”
Rhetoric vs. Reality: A Failed Attempt to Whitewash Wrongdoings
Asim Munir’s attempt to paint himself as a “champion of women’s rights” was a humiliatingly failed stunt, aimed at deceiving the public while his regime actively brutalizes women. His unannounced martial law has been marred by politically motivated detentions, the abuse of female protestors, and a culture of impunity for violence against women.
By asking “Who are you to take away the honor of women?” General Munir inadvertently poses the same question to himself. The answer is clear: he presides over a system that has routinely degraded, harassed, and imprisoned women for daring to speak up. His statement is not just empty rhetoric—it is a deliberate deception, designed to project an image of morality while systematically stripping women of their rights.
Until tangible action is taken to end these abuses, his words will remain nothing more than a hypocritical smokescreen—meant to deceive, rather than to protect.
