General Asim Munir Elevated to Field Marshal in Pakistan

Promotion of General Asim Munir

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the promotion of Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir to the prestigious rank of field marshal.

This marks the first elevation to field marshal in Pakistan in almost six decades, as reported by various news outlets.

In a post shared on X, Sharif commended Munir for his "exemplary leadership" during the recent tensions with India.

Sharif stated, "Under his leadership, our brave Armed Forces defended Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with unity, courage, and exceptional military professionalism."

On behalf of the entire nation, I extend my heartfelt felicitations to General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M) on his well-deserved promotion to the rank of Field Marshal. His exemplary leadership during Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos crushed enemy’s nefarious designs and brought great…

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 20, 2025

General Munir becomes only the second individual in Pakistan's military history to achieve the rank of field marshal, a ceremonial five-star title. The first was former military ruler Ayub Khan, who self-awarded the title during his command in the 1965 war with India.

In a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations department, Munir expressed gratitude, stating, "I am deeply thankful to Allah Almighty for this honour. This is not just an individual recognition but an honour for the Pakistani Armed Forces and the entire nation."

Additionally, the Cabinet, under Sharif's leadership, has decided to extend the tenure of Pakistan Air Force Chief Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, although the duration of the extension has not been disclosed.

On May 10, India and Pakistan reached an agreement to cease hostilities following a four-day conflict.

Tensions had escalated on May 7 when the Indian military conducted strikes, known as Operation Sindoor, targeting what it claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

This military action was a response to a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals on April 22.

In retaliation, the Pakistan Army engaged in shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control, leading to casualties that included at least 22 Indian civilians and eight military personnel.

Pakistan reported that 40 civilians and 11 military personnel lost their lives during the conflict.