Cabinet approves COAS Gen Asim Munir’s promotion to field marshal

The federal cabinet on Tuesday approved the promotion of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir to field marshal for his leadership in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos and the period of conflict against India known as Marka-i-Haq.

The military confrontation between India and Pakistan came as tensions over last month’s Pahalgam attack continued to build up. On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi launched a series of air strikes in Punjab and Azad Kashmir, resulting in civilian casualties. Islamabad responded by downing five Indian jets.

After intercepting drones sent by India and tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, it took American intervention on May 10, when tensions between the two countries peaked, for both sides to finally drop their guns as a ceasefire was reached. India has since continued its aggressive posturing even as Pakistan has warned against any further military aggression and offered talks. Officials from both countries confirmed that the ceasefire does not have an expiry date, putting to rest the speculations that the truce would lapse this weekend unless renewed.

The rank of field marshal is the highest rank of armies built on the patron of the British Army. General Mohammad Ayub Khan was conferred the rank by the presidential cabinet.

“The Government of Pakistan has approved the promotion of General Syed Asim Munir (Nishan-i-Imtiaz Military) to the rank of field marshal for ensuring the security of the country and defeating the enemy based on the high strategy and courageous leadership during Marka-i-Haq and Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement after a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Retelling the events of the military conflict with India, the statement further said that COAS Munir led the army “with exemplary courage and determination and coordinated the war strategy and efforts of the armed forces in a comprehensive manner”.

It added: “Thanks to the unparalleled leadership of the army chief, Pakistan achieved a historic victory in Marka-i-Haq.

“In recognition of his outstanding military leadership, courage, and bravery, ensuring Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and courageous defence against the enemy, the cabinet approved the prime minister’s proposal to promote General Syed Asim Munir to the rank of field marshal.”

The PMO also said that the government unanimously decided to continue the services of Air Chief Marshal Zahar Ahmed Babar Sidhu after his term ends.

It was also decided that officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army, war veterans, martyrs and citizens belonging to various sectors would be awarded high government awards in recognition of their valuable services during the operation, the statement added.

The statement added that PM Shehbaz met President Asif Ali Zardari and took him into confidence regarding this decision.

“Under General Syed Asim Munir’s leadership, the armed forces have successfully defended the homeland,” Zardari was quoted as saying in a statement from the presidency.

He said the army chief deserved the promotion for effectively countering Indian aggression, successfully defending the homeland and employing excellent military strategy.

He also congratulated Sidhu on the extension of his tenure.

Accepting the honour, COAS Munir said he was grateful to God for receiving the position, dedicating it to the “entire nation, the armed forces of Pakistan, especially the civil and military martyrs and veterans”.

“I am grateful to the president of Pakistan, the prime minister and the cabinet for their trust,” he said in a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), adding that the honour was the trust of the nation, for which “millions of Asims have sacrificed themselves”.

“This is not an individual honour but an honour for the armed forces of Pakistan and the entire nation,” he said.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi congratulated COAS Munir on his promotion to the rank and expressed his best wishes for the army chief.

“General Syed Asim Munir has achieved this position through hard work, talent and professional skills,” the interior minister said, according to a post on the ministry’s X account.

Additional reporting by Nadir Guramani