Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir awarded with rank of ‘Field Marshal’

Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir was awarded with the rank of  ‘ Field Marshal ‘, the  highest military rank of its in Pakistan Military on Tuesday.  It has been specified in the government announcement that Asim Munir has been given this rank for his role during the recent India and Pakistan conflict. This is the second time in the history of Pakistan that a military officer has been promoted to this post.

According to Pakistani media, the decision to award  the title of Field Marshal to Asim Munir was announced after a cabinet meeting chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. It said that Munir  launched Operation ‘Banyan-um-Marsoos’ and led it courageously and made it successful,    in response to India’s Operation Sindoor,

India launched Operation Sindoor on 7th  May ,targeting 9 terrorist hideouts in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and in Pakistan. The operation was done without crossing the international border.

Asim Munir is the first Pakistani military officer to hold this post after 1959. In 1959, Pakistan’s first military dictator Ayub Khan declared himself Field Marshal.

This promotion will strengthen Munir’s hold on power as the army is already playing a decisive role in shaping foreign and security policies. In fact, it is also said that the army has been ruling Pakistan for many years.  The Indian side believes that the Pakistan Army has been humiliated in the recent conflict and to hide its failure, the military leadership of Pakistan has honoured itself. This is being seen in the same way as Pakistan’s dictator General Ayub Khan did. Pakistan’s second President Mohammad Ayub Khan ruled as a dictator for 11 years, from 1958 to 1969, and gave himself the title of Field Marshal.

The Prime Minister’s Office of Pakistan said in a statement that the Government of Pakistan has approved the promotion of General Syed Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal for ensuring the security of the country and defeating the enemy on the basis of high strategy and courageous leadership during Marka-e-Haq and Operation Banyan-um-Marsoos.” The statement said that Munir led the Pakistani Army with “exemplary courage and determination” and “perfectly coordinated the war strategy and efforts of the armed forces”. The cabinet approved Sharif’s proposal to promote Munir in recognition of his “military leadership, courage and bravery, ensuring the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan and courageous defense against the enemy”.

Asim Munir was appointed the Chief of the Pakistan Army in November 2022. Interestingly, he was to retire just three days after that as his three-year term was about to end. However, the government extended his tenure by five years in 2024 and he is now expected to serve till November 2027.

A statement issued by the media wing of the Pakistan Army quoted Asim Munir as saying that he dedicated the honour to the armed forces. Munir also thanked the President, Prime Minister and the Cabinet for reposing their faith in him.

According to Pakistani media, Shahbaz Sharif met Pakistan’s  President Asif Ali Zardari and took him into confidence about the decision to promote Munir. A statement issued by the President’s Office quoted Zardari as saying: “The armed forces under the leadership of General Syed Asim Munir have successfully defended the motherland.” He said Munir deserved the promotion for defending Pakistan.

India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. This was followed by four days of intense attacks and counter-attacks, with both sides using drones, missiles and other long-range weapons and raising fears of a full-blown war. The two sides agreed to stop firing and military action on 10 May.