Panic in Pakistan as Trump backs regime change in Iran, Asim Munir holds emergency meeting

As US President Donald Trump’s threats to intervene in Iran have endangered regional stability, Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir has convened a high-level meeting to discuss the situation and assess his options, according to CNN-News 18.

Trump has reportedly been briefed about military options to intervene in Iran amid ongoing nationwide protests. As Iran already stands battered by bombardment from Israel and the United States, a new offensive could substantially destabilise the regime and the fallout could extend well beyond the country.

With Pakistan’s disputed border with Afghanistan already tense and prone to frequent clashes, officials warned that Pakistan could not afford its border with Iran to become volatile as well, according to the report.

More from World

Iran at the brink: Is the Islamic Republic losing control? ‘Enemy of God’: Iran vows death penalty for protesters as crackdown intensifies

At the same time, they also discussed how any conflict could affect the US-Pakistan relationship, which has improved massively in Trump’s second term, the report said.

Munir was joined in the meeting by Lieutenant General Asim Malik, who holds the dual charge of ISI chief and National Security Adviser; Southern Army Commander Lt General Rahat Naseem; and other senior officers, including the Director General of Military Intelligence, the Chief of General Staff to the Chief of Army Staff, the ISI’s Director General (Analysis), and other senior generals.

Munir braces for complications from Trump’s Iran attack

Sources told CNN-News 18 that a key concern was that Trump could seek access to Pakistan’s airspace or military bases in case the United States strikes Iran.

Such a demand could put Pakistan in a difficult position. Denying the request would risk annoying Trump and jeopardising the improvement in bilateral relations.

At the same time, accepting it would risk alienating the country’s Shia population and the Islamic world at large.

Quick Reads

View All

China finds new love in Trump’s US: It’s America’s poverty

Iran unrest: Landline phones new lifeline amid crackdown on protesters, internet blackout

Pakistan has around 20 per cent Shia Muslims who sympathise with Iran — Iran is a Shia-majority state. Sources said Munir is concerned that a US attack on Iran —and pressure on Pakistan to facilitate such an attack— could foment unrest in Pakistan.

As Pakistan has already been rocked by rising violence — 2025 was the deadliest year in a decade— new unrest could be catastrophic.

Pakistani officials fear that any attack on Iran or a potential regime-change scenario could trigger widespread protests across Pakistan and create additional pressure along the Pakistan-Iran border due to a potential inflow of refugees, according to the report.

Sources said Munir directed senior commanders and the ISI chief to remain on high alert and closely monitor developments.

Munir also tasked the ISI chief with strengthening diplomatic and security-level contacts with counterparts in Iran, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and the United States to assess the evolving situation and explore avenues for de-escalation, according to sources.

The report further said that intelligence assessments suggest Pakistan has joined Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey in conveying to the Trump administration that a strike on Iran could destabilise the entire region.