Pakistan has seen protests condemning the reported killing of Iran’s top Shia leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in what was described as a joint US-Israel strike.
Iran is a West Asian country where Shia Muslims form the majority. In Pakistan, Sunnis are the majority, while Shias are estimated to make up around 20% of the population.
Against this backdrop, Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir, speaking at an iftar event in Rawalpindi, made a controversial remark suggesting that Shia Muslims who “love Iran too much” should go to that country.
Shia religious leaders in Pakistan condemned the statement, alleging that Munir had insulted their community. They also accused the military of acting like a proxy for the United States and Israel.
