Imran Khan’s diaspora strikes back with anti-Munir, Sharif billboard in Times Square

In a dramatic act of political defiance, a truck-mounted digital billboard rolled through New York’s Times Square this week, lambasting Pakistan’s top military and political leaders with scathing messages. The protest, orchestrated by overseas supporters of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), openly accused Army Chief General Asim Munir, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari, and Nawaz Sharif of corruption, deceit, and authoritarianism.

The mobile billboard, which ran for several hours in one of the world’s busiest public spaces, featured rotating digital graphics and bold slogans that spared no one in the ruling establishment. General Munir, recently elevated to the honorary title of “Field Marshal,” was mocked as “Fraud Marshal” and labelled a “liar” and “loser.” One pointed message read, “Good work makes you stand tall, not fake titles,” in reference to his controversial promotion—widely seen by critics as a move to consolidate control rather than reward merit.

In another jab, the billboard challenged Munir to take a polygraph test, a direct counter to state efforts to discredit Khan through investigations and smear campaigns. Alongside him, Shehbaz Sharif and Zardari were portrayed as stooges in service of military power, with one graphic calling the trio “The deceiver and his two crooks.” Nawaz Sharif, meanwhile, was portrayed as driven solely by political opportunism.

But perhaps the most emotionally charged moment came with the display of a haunting image of Imran Khan behind bars, captioned as “illegally detained for 2 years.” It cast the former Prime Minister as a political prisoner and rallied support from Khan loyalists worldwide.

Pakistanis troll their Field Marshal #AsimMunir in Times Square billboard

Pakistani diaspora in the US illustrated a billboard on Times Square showing Asim Munir, the Sharif brothers (Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif), and former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari pic.twitter.com/1hApg5QXey

— Resonant News🌍 (@Resonant_News) June 6, 2025

The backdrop to this spectacle is the deepening rift between Khan and Munir. Once perceived as the military’s chosen figure, Khan has since become its fiercest opponent, particularly after what PTI alleges was a military-backed regime change in 2022 that ousted him from office. Munir’s rise to power and Khan’s subsequent imprisonment have fuelled allegations that Pakistan’s powerful military is using state institutions to eliminate dissent and rule from the shadows — with Shehbaz Sharif and Zardari playing the role of civilian figureheads.

This public protest, while taking place thousands of miles from Pakistan, struck a nerve at home and abroad. For the Pakistani diaspora, the Times Square campaign is more than symbolic. It reflects their growing frustration with the erosion of democratic institutions in Pakistan and their willingness to confront the establishment’s narrative on the global stage. It is also a reminder that, even in exile, Pakistan’s ruling elite cannot fully shield themselves from scrutiny.

At a time when the country faces runaway inflation, political instability, and economic collapse, critics argue that its leaders remain more focused on consolidating power and silencing opposition. This protest, blaring across the neon glow of Times Square, amplified that critique to the world.

Read More: 'You may call me a fugitive. Where is the chori?': Vijay Mallya apologises for Kingfisher collapse, rejects ‘chor’ label