Pakistan Army ‘Mass Resignations’ Memo: Unpacking The Inconsistencies

A wave of sensational claims has swept across social media, alleging mass resignations within the Pakistan Army and the mysterious disappearance of Army Chief General Asim Munir. These posts, fueled by a purported leaked memo and the viral hashtag #MunirOut, have stirred significant confusion. However, a closer examination reveals glaring inconsistencies and clear signs of fabrication (in the memo) behind these dramatic assertions.

The controversy began when a document — supposedly an internal memo — from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wing of the Pakistan Army, started circulating online. 

Dated April 26, 2025, the “restricted” memo warned of “huge requests for resignation and desertion” among troops and referenced the deadly Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir. It urged soldiers to remain loyal and cautioned against unauthorised resignations, while also admitting to its involvement in the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22. The archived version of the post can be seen here.

Simultaneously, the hashtag #MunirOut began trending on X (formerly Twitter), with users speculating that General Munir had either gone missing or fled the country. Some posts even claimed he was hiding in a bunker in Rawalpindi, adding fuel to the fire.

Questionable Authorship and Language

The memo’s author is listed as Major General Faisal Mehmood Malik, supposedly the Director General of ISPR. In reality, the current DG ISPR is Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who has held the position since December 2022. There is no public record of a Major General Faisal Mehmood Malik serving in that capacity or any similar senior role within the Pakistan Army. 

Moreover, the memo’s language raises eyebrows. It refers to “mujahideens in Pahalgam,” an unusual term for an official military document, especially one meant for internal discipline. ISPR’s mandate is public relations, not internal military discipline, making the memo’s subject, “Reinforcing Duty and Discipline”, highly suspect.

We reached out to Kamran Saqi, a senior defence journalist based out of Pakistan, who said the letter was fake. “No such memo has been issued. Even the language of this memo is not official,” Saqi told Newschecker.

Another phrase that caught our attention was “Pakistan Jinabad!”, at the end of the letter, which seems to be a misspelt version of the patriotic slogan “Pakistan Zindabad.” Also, the signature at the end has distinct edges, and a small part apparently cut off, indicating that it may be a separate image pasted onto the ‘internal memo’.

Newschecker contacted Saqib Tanveer, editor at the Independent Urdu, who said that there was no such memo. “The spelling used here is Pakistan Jinabad. Pakistanis normally write ‘Pakistan Zindabad’. It is very obvious that this was fabricated…besides, I have never seen ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ being used in an official communication. The signatures are a botched-up job. They have been copied from somewhere and it is evident from the square formed around it and the markings on the edges,” Tanveer said, which further confirms that the viral letter is fabricated.

Lack of Evidence

No reputable news outlets have reported on the existence of such a memo or on any mass resignations within the Pakistan Army. In fact, to counter the rumors about General Munir’s disappearance, the Pakistani government released a photo on X, of him alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at an event in Abbottabad on April 26. While this move aimed to dispel the speculation, it did little to stop the rumours over the current location of the army chief, whose recent provocative address drew sharp criticism for its divisive tone and potential to escalate tensions with India.

Also Read: Viral Video Claiming To Show Terrorists Involved In Pahalgam Attack Being Eliminated Is Old

Source
Official X account, DG ISPR
Conversation with Kamran Saqi, senior defence journalist, Pakistan
Conversation with Saqib Tanveer, editor at the Independent Urdu