Claim: A video circulating online claims that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir of destroying the country and doing so in Sharif’s name.
Fact: Sharif actually criticised former Prime Minister Imran Khan while reciting a couplet during a speech in Sheikhupura in 2023. The name “Munir” refers to the poet Munir Niazi and not the Army Chief.
Recently, a Facebook page پاکستان تخریک انصاف کے پی کے shared a video (archive) in which Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says,
“شہر کو برباد کر کے رکھ دیا اُس نے منیر، شہر یہ یہ ظلم میرے نام پہ اُس نے کی”
[Translation: He ruined the city, Munir; he committed this cruelty in my name.]
Along with the phrase above, the video also contains the following text:
“اختلاف اپنی جگہ نام نہیں لینا چاہے تھا اس میں کوئی شک نہیں”
[Translation: Disagreement aside, the name should not have been taken. There is no doubt about it.]
The video includes an image of the Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir alongside Sharif’s clip, and, therefore, implies that the Prime Minister hinted at the Army Chief while reciting the couplet.
Shehbaz Sharif and COAS
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif appointed Lieutenant General Asim Munir as the new Chief of Army Staff in November 2022. Sharif selected Munir from a list of six nominees during a cabinet meeting. This took place shortly after Imran Khan’s government was ousted through a vote of no confidence. Dawn reported that the decision, following weeks of speculation, was confirmed on 24 November after then President Arif Alvi signed the summary sent by the prime minister. General Munir officially took command of the Pakistan Army on 29 November 2022.
Since he assumed office as Prime Minister again, following the February 2024 elections, Shehbaz Sharif has worked closely with the Army Chief and made several public appearances alongside him. In September 2024, he credited the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) for playing a key role in securing the International Monetary Fund (IMF) deal, which provided critical economic relief to Pakistan, Samaa reported. In November 2024, the Prime Minister and COAS attended the funeral prayers of three Rangers officials who were martyred during the PTI protests.
Fact or Fiction?
Soch Fact Check conducted a reverse- search of keyframes from the video to locate the complete footage and understand the context of the prime minister’s remarks. We found the complete video on Business Recorder’s Facebook page. The footage, titled “Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addresses a gathering”, was shared on 22 July 2023.
The prime minister was in Sheikhupura on 22 July 2023, attending the ceremony for the construction of the Essan Interchange on the M3 Motorway. He began his speech by welcoming government officials, parliament, senators and others present and spoke about several upcoming projects, including the construction of the Essan Interchange on M3 Motorway.
Continuing his speech, he praised Nawaz Sharif. “I call Nawaz Sharif the architect of Pakistan’s progress and prosperity. He was the one who envisioned making Pakistan the economic tiger of Asia. Unfortunately, this journey of growth and development was abruptly halted in 2018. It was a massive conspiracy against Pakistan’s progress and prosperity.”
Sharif then criticised former Prime Minister Imran Khan, referring to Khan’s claims about bringing back foreign assets. “The entire nation saw what happened. The same people who promised to recover 300 billion dollars stashed abroad within three months spent four years in power and not a single penny was returned. Today, I ask the people of Sheikhupura, my elders, my companions, and young friends: where are the 300 billion dollars Imran Khan promised? If that money had come, I wouldn’t be pleading with the IMF today. Pakistan would be standing on its own feet. So, where is that money?”
Following these remarks, he continued to criticise the former prime minister, referencing the Al-Qadir Trust case or the 190-million-pound case and accusing the PTI government of widespread mismanagement and corruption.
He then urged the people to reflect before voting in the February 2024 general elections, and concluded his speech, saying, “So let’s make a decision today. The time has come, my elders. Roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals can only be built if the national treasury has funds. But if, like the 190 million pound case, the cabinet is deceived and instead of depositing the money into the national treasury, it is diverted elsewhere, then progress will remain an impossible dream.”
Following this, at 31:15, he recited a couplet: “Shehar ko barbaad kar ke rakh diya uss ne, Munir, shehar ko barbaad kar ke rakh diya uss ne, Munir.” [He ruined the city, Munir; he ruined the city, Munir.] “Shehar pe yeh zulm meray naam par us ne kiya.” [He committed this cruelty in my name.]
The video in the claim contains this particular section from Sharif’s speech. However, upon reviewing the full footage, it is evident that Sharif was referring to Imran Khan, accusing him of corruption and mismanagement, and not the Chief of Army Staff.
The couplet he recited was written by the poet Munir Niazi, in which the name “Munir” is used as a pen name, a common literary device where poets include their names in their verses. It was not a reference to General Asim Munir.
At no point in the speech does Sharif mention General Asim Munir. We also searched for reports from credible news outlets to verify whether he had made any remarks against the Army Chief but did not find any.
Virality
The claim gained significant traction on Facebook receiving over 78,000 likes and 32,000 shares. It was shared here, here, here, here, and here. Archived here, here, here, here, and here.
On Instagram, it was shared here and here.
Conclusion: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif actually criticised Imran Khan in the speech, and the name “Munir” in the couplet refers to the poet Munir Niazi, not the Army Chief.
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Background image in cover photo: TheFridayTimes
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