Pakistan promotes Army Secretary Asim Munier to Field Marshall: Why it matters | India and Pakistan tension news

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan’s cabinet on Tuesday promoted the country’s Army Prime Minister, Syed Asim Munir, to the rank of Field Marshall, to the country’s rank.

That short but fierce confrontation brought South Asian neighbors to the edge of the Fifth War as they fired missiles and drones at each other over four days in early May.

Ultimately, the May 10 ceasefire announced by President Donald Trump pulled nuclear-armed neighbors back from the brink after targeting opponents’ military facilities in missile attacks earlier that day.

New Delhi and Islamabad both claimed victory in the conflict. The Pakistani government has derived a direct link between these conflicts and the decision to promote Munir.

So why did Munir get promoted, what does Field Marshall’s rank mean, and what is the precursor to the future of Pakistan’s military leaders and its role in the country’s domestic affairs?

Why did Munir become a Field Marshall?

According to a statement from Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif’s office, Munier, with “experimental courage and determination,” has recognized and promoted military leaders and devised a strategy to counter India’s attacks.

“Recognizing his brilliant military leader, courage and courage, ensuring Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and courageous defense against the enemy, the Cabinet has approved the Prime Minister’s proposal to promote Prime Minister Syed Asim Munir to the wild of ranks,” the statement said.

The Cabinet also granted the Air Secretary of Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu a second extension, now in his fourth year as Head of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), following his previous extension.

State Minister of Home Affairs Talal Chaudhry told Al Jazeera that the decision to promote Munier was based on his leadership.

“The Pakistani army was engaged to two flanks and fought the terrorist threat at its western border. Meanwhile, they had to dodge our enemies on the eastern flank, one of the largest troops in the world, but under Munier’s leadership, which came crucially at the top,” Chaudhry said.

How did Munir respond?

In a statement issued by the military’s public relations (ISPR), Munir, the military media wing, said he was humbled by his honor and dedicated to “the whole country, the military of Pakistan, especially civilians and military martyrs and veterans.”

“This is not an individual honor, it is an honor for the military of Pakistan and the entire country,” he said.

Field Marshalls are the highest ranked in armies like Pakistan and India, following British Army traditions.

How rare is Field Marshall ranked?

very. In Pakistan, the full general, indicated by four stars, is usually the standard rank of the Army Secretary and Chairman of the Joint Secretary Committee (CJCSC), convening chiefs of all three services (Army, Navy and Air Force).

The role of the CJCSC is open to one of three branches, but since 1997 only the Army Generals have held the post, with General Sahir Shamshad being the current incumbent.

Since gaining independence in 1947, Pakistan has had 17 army chiefs. Munir is the second and second to be promoted to Field Marshall after Ayub Khan.

Ayub Khan became the head of the army in 1951 and took power in a military coup in 1958. A year later he was promoted to Field Marshall, appointing General Musakan as the new chief of the army.

“Field Marshalls have their own insignia and their own sticks they have. Field Marshalls don’t need to accommodate salutes, but instead they just need to shake the stick to admit it.”

Once awarded, the Field Marshall Rank will be held for life.

Is there a field marshal rank in India?

Yes, it is as rare in India as Pakistan. Since 1947, the Indian government has awarded the title of Field Marshall to two generals.

First was General Sam Manekshaw. He won in 1973 by India and won the ranks in his leadership during the war with Pakistan that led to the creation of Bangladesh.

“Maneksho led their troops in an exemplary fashion, and Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi awarded the title of Field Marshall after the war. He retired from the position of Chief of the Army in 1973, but he held the position for the rest of his life and attended the official uniform event,” Rahiem said.

The second was Kodander M Kaliappa, India’s first post-independence chief of military service. He was awarded the title in 1986, 30 years after his retirement.

Kalyappa, who led the Indian army during the first war with Pakistan in 1947, was previously in the Indian army of Britain, like Ayub Khan. In fact, Khan worked under Kaliappa in 1945 when both were listed in Waziristan, now Pakistan.

How powerful is the Pakistani army?

Pakistani military is considered the most powerful institution in the country and has a deep influence on almost every sphere of society. Since independence in 1947, it has directly controlled the country for over 30 years.

Army chiefs are widely viewed as Pakistan’s only most powerful position, often overshadowing elected civilian governments. The military has long faced allegations of manipulating election results to support favorable candidates.

Munir’s predecessor, General Kama Javed Bajiva, acknowledged the history of the military of political interference in his farewell speech in November 2022, but said that such interference was over.

However, under Munier, the Pakistani army has been accused of cracking down on leaders of the group, including Khan, by former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistani Tehrik e Insaf Party leader. In Pakistan’s 2024 election, the PTI argued for widespread rigging, even if party candidates who ran as independents to ban the party from joining the party won more seats than the other parties. Prime Minister Sharif’s Muslim League of Pakistan (Nawaz) worked with the Pakistan People’s Party to form a government after destroying the outcome.

The Pakistani government has rejected allegations of rigging, and the troops under Munir have consistently refused to accused of interference in the country’s civil politics.

At the same time, the military is integrated into the country’s economic issues, with Munier co-chairing the high-level institution created in 2023 with the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), which is a high-level institution created in 2023, helping investors bypass bureaucratic hurdles.

While Munier is at the helm of the military, Pakistan’s economy, which was in a deep crisis in 2022, shows signs of recovery. Central bank data shows that more than $10 billion in foreign reserves currently exceed $10 billion, but inflation fell from over 38% in May 2023 to just 0.3% in April 2025.

And while criticism from Khan and his supporters has been robbing the military’s popularity in recent years, the conflict with India has boosted the army’s height, and the votes show a surge in popularity.

What does Munir’s promotion mean to the military?

Field Marshall’s rank is primarily ritualistic and expert, and in itself does not affect Munir’s leadership.

Munir, who previously led both the military intelligence agency, can continue as Army Chief until the country’s premier intelligence agency, Interservice Intelligence (ISI), ends in November 2027.

Mariarashid, a lecturer at Oriental Africa Studies (SOAS) at the University of London, proposed that its second term is increasingly likely.

The promotion “almost certainly means that an extension will be granted to Asim Munir’s tenure,” she said.

Critics argue that the promotion will ultimately be summarised in government and military political calculations.

Political analyst Cyril Almeida suggested that in the military’s control over the political landscape, promotion was essentially a way for Prime Minister Sharif to seek to ensure his own political survival by staying in good relations with Munir.

“It’s also something he’ll reveal. [Sharif] Almeida told Al Jazeera.

Sharif was first appointed in April 2022. After former Prime Minister Imran Khan was banished in a no-confidence vote, Khan condemned the plot involving the military, the US and his political opponents, but both the military and the US denied the allegations.

The retired two-star general, speaking anonymously, warned that Munir’s promotion could further consolidate the military’s grip on the country’s operations.

Sahar Khan, a Washington-based security analyst, agreed. Further strengthening the military’s influence in Pakistani politics “will damage Pakistan’s already damaged democratic credentials,” she said.

However, Minister Chaudhry refused to criticize the promotion that further entrenched the control of the state and political military.

“People often make everything political and use it for their own purposes. We fought wars and won,” he said. “Those who question the military’s capabilities and suggest that the military is busy suppressing our own citizens. This is a response to them.

“The military showed how capable they were and how good they were at their job under the command of Munir.”