Shehbaz Sharif Claims Credit for Elevating Asim Munir to Field Marshal Amid India-Pakistan Tensions

The promotion of General Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal is seen as the attempt to contain the fallout of India’s bold Operation Sindoor strikes and prevent the comeback of Imran Khan.

The Pakistan government announced on Tuesday with the promotion of Munir. This only marks the second time that the Chief of the Army has moved on to such elevation, the first time being back in 1959 when General Ayub Khan was promoted.

Whereas Khan gave himself the title, this one is bestowed from the civilian government. According to a security official, the Field Marshal rank is a very senior five-star grade technically used to translate extraordinary leadership and wartime achievement.

But it comes in the wake of India going bold over Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike against nine terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which reportedly put some question marks on Munir’s leadership.

The promotion of Munir got the greenlight from the cabinet and was headed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif; it came just days after this country’s worst military conflict with India in nearly three decades.

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It came "in recognition of the strategic brilliance and courageous leadership that ensured national security and decisively defeated the enemy," Sharif said in a statement from his office.

The event is being perceived as an attempt at diverting from the embarrassment of India's Operation Sindoor.

“Field marshal rank is usually given conferred after a military victory. This may be the first time it has been awarded after a defeat – it seems intended to mask the defeat,” Tilak Devasher, a leading Pakistani watcher told The Economic Times.

In retaliation for the terror attack in Pahalgam of April 22, with 26 civilians being killed, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7. The operation targeted terror infrastructure within Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the killing of over 100 terrorists.

Besides, soon after, India foiled Pakistan's attempted retaliatory attacks by shooting down drones and missile launchers over Indian military installations and civilian areas. This exchange between the only two nuclear-armed neighbors has placed Pakistan in an awkward diplomatic position.

Both actors mutually agreed to a cessation of hostilities on May 10.

Major Manik M Jolly (retired) told India Today, “Promoting Munir to Field Marshal just proves how helpless and useless Pakistan’s government and civil administration are. He’s doubling down on his narrative of victory and by elevating his position, tightening his grip and control on Pakistan. Musharraf 2.0 loading.”

Deal to keep Imran Khan out of power?

The promotion of Asim Munir came amid the peculiar times of domestic strife, all-out crackdown against Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and tensions with India.

According to a CNN-News18 report citing defence sources, Sharif agreed to promote Munir to Field Marshal in exchange for Munir's promise to block Imran Khan's return to power. Sharif has also promised to protect Munir from being brought to a court martial if Pakistan's bungled response to Operation Sindoor came under scrutiny in the future, the report said.

Take into account the fact that Imran Khan and Asim Munir do not share a smooth relationship. Imran had dismissed Munir from the ISI chief position during his tenure as PM after the relationship broke down.

Imran Khan has accused Munir of being responsible for his arrest and has even charged him with trying to kill him. Political analyst Cyril Almeida said that in a military-dominated political environment, Sharif’s pushing for Munir was probably meant to secure himself by staying aligned with the Army chief.

“It is also about making it clear that he [Sharif] is not, and will never be a threat, so a replacement need not be considered,” Almeida told Al Jazeera.

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How will the Field Marshal title help Munir?

Munir’s elevation is also considered by many as a protective mechanism, either to shield him from internal problems or from a legal action such as court martial.

Munir's standing back home was reported to have suffered, for a section in the Army had rallied behind Khan to undermine Munir and render him irrelevant.

"Arguably, the biggest failure of Munir’s leadership is his inability to reform or restore confidence in the Pakistan Army. Once regarded as a professional force and the nation’s saviour, the Army now finds itself at the centre of political, economic and institutional collapse," Lieutenant General Rakesh Sharma (retd) wrote for The Week.

There were demands even from junior officers for Munir's sacking. With this new ceremonial rank, Munir shall continue as Army chief.

Field marshals hold no official command following retirement but remains on the "active list for life" and enjoy the privileges of wearing a uniform, mounting five stars conspicuously on insignia and vehicles, and being saluted by a baton of their own.

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