Pakistan elevates Army Chief Munir to field marshal after clash with India First in over 60 years

On May 20, the Pakistani government officially promoted Chief of the Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir to the rank of field marshal.

The government described it as recognition of his “strategic leadership and decisive role” in defeating India during the conflict that erupted earlier this month following the Pahalgam incident, Caliber.Az reports, citing Pakistani media.

In a formal statement, the government announced: “The Government of Pakistan has approved the promotion of General Syed Asim Munir (Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Military) to the rank of Field Marshal in recognition of his superior strategy and courageous leadership… (and) inflicted a decisive defeat upon the enemy.”

The decision was first approved by the federal cabinet and subsequently conveyed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to President Asif Ali Zardari for ratification. The promotion marks the first time in more than sixty years that a Pakistani general has been elevated to the five-star rank. The last serving field marshal was Ayub Khan, who conferred the title upon himself in 1959 during his tenure as the country’s military ruler.

Shortly after the announcement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his endorsement in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Under his command, our valiant Armed Forces staunchly defended Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with unity, courage and the highest standards of military professionalism,” he wrote.

General Munir, who has served as Chief of the Army Staff since November 2022, accepted the promotion with humility, stating through a press release issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) that the elevation was “not a personal honour but a tribute to the entire armed forces and the people of Pakistan.”

The promotion has since sparked significant debate and speculation regarding its potential implications for Pakistan’s higher defence organisation (HDO), which includes the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC)—chaired by its own head—and the chiefs of the army, navy, and air force.

Although the rank of field marshal is considered largely ceremonial in contemporary military structures, the elevation has raised questions about its possible effects on civil-military relations, the operational chain of command, and the evolving structure of Pakistan’s top defence leadership.

By Tamilla Hasanova