Field Marshall Asim Munir Rewarded For April 22 Pahalgam Attack?

Last Updated:May 21, 2025, 08:30 IST

Munir’s promotion shows his complete dominance over the Pakistani government

Asim Munir’s promotion could further complicate challenges of the India-Pakistan equation. (AFP)

‘Note, a Field Marshall never retires’—former army chief General VP Malik posted on X, underlining the significance of Pakistan Army Chief Syed Asim Munir becoming a Field Marshall.

A Field Marshall remains on active duty for life like a serving officer. The last time an Army chief became a Field Marshall in Pakistan, it was General Ayub Khan who engineered a coup to become Pakistan’s President. It is another matter that Pakistan under Khan lost the 1965 war with India and ultimately resigned and bowed into the sunset in 1969.

Munir is only the second Army general in Pakistan to be promoted as a Field Marshall. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has, in recent speeches, addressed Munir as ‘sipahsalaar’ and sang paeans of his ‘bravery and determination’ during the recent military conflict with India.

So, is the promotion for Asim Munir a deal between him and Shehbaz Sharif to keep Imran Khan out of Pakistan’s political equation and shield Munir from a court martial in the future for Pakistan’s botched-up response to Operation Sindoor?

Reward for Pahalgam?

There are two beliefs in Indian intelligence circles over the recent development. One, it shows the complete dominance of Munir over the Pakistani government. An indicator of this had come on May 10 when the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had to call up Munir directly in an unprecedented conversation to ask him to stop hostilities with India. In short, Munir has given himself a promotion to assert his supremacy in the Pakistani ecosystem and never hang his boots and uniform. In the current conflict, where Pakistan’s military systems have been left battered, Munir—in Army uniform—seeks public’s backing.

The other belief is that the promotion is actually for Munir’s planning and execution of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, and bringing the two countries to almost a war-like situation. Sharif, on Monday, said the conflict had brought India and Pakistan back to parity in the eyes of the global community. This is being seen in Pakistan as a ‘big achievement’, though Pakistan air defences and air bases were battered by Indian missiles and the country was brought to its knees and left virtually pleading before the US for a ceasefire. This is a unique case of a promotion even after a big defeat.

Munir’s senior officers present at the funeral of Jaish terrorists killed in Operation Sindoor also exposed before the world how Pakistan’s army fuels terrorist groups. Indian parliamentarian delegations leaving for abroad this week are aiming to de-hyphenate India and Pakistan on the global stage again, reiterate that Pakistan is a terror-sponsor state which has targeted India for long through terror groups, and make it clear that India is not the aggressor. But Pakistan is not expected by India to mend its ways. Munir’s promotion could further complicate challenges of the India-Pakistan equation.

Islamabad, Pakistan

News world Field Marshall Asim Munir Rewarded For April 22 Pahalgam Attack?