Field Marshal Asim Munir’s Elevation:A Historic Milestone
By Asif Haroon Raja
On May 20, 2025, General Asim Munir was promoted to the ceremonial yet prestigious rank of Field Marshal (FM), following approval by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and his cabinet, and formal endorsement by President Asif Ali Zardari. The investiture took place at the President House, where FM Munir received the traditional baton and the five-star insignia.
The rank of Field Marshal, while largely symbolic and without an extension of service tenure, is the highest attainable military distinction. It places the officer above the four-star chiefs of all three services and the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff in terms of ceremonial status, entitling him to wear the uniform and enjoy full lifetime privileges.
There is a strong likelihood that the other two branches of the armed forces—the Air Force and the Navy—may come under the command of the Field Marshal (FM). This transition is expected to take place around the retirement of the current Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, in November.
Given that the CJCSC, a four-star general, chairs meetings of the three services, it would be both unconventional and potentially awkward for a five-star FM to participate in such forums without formal authority. Therefore, it would be appropriate to create the position of a four-star Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) and assign the role of CJCSC to the FM as an additional portfolio. This would require amendments to the Pakistan Army Act, followed by approval from Parliament and the President.
An alternative approach could be the adoption of a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) model, similar to the one implemented in India, to integrate and oversee the three services under a single command structure. The Western, Southern and Eastern Commands could have 4-star generals/air marshals.
The most suitable candidate for promotion to the rank of General and appointment as VCOAS is the current Director General of Inter-Services Intelligence (DG ISI), Lieutenant General Asim Malik, who is due to retire at the end of October. He is senior most and is holding the additional title of National Security Adviser, but his main limitation is the lack of corps command experience. However, he remains a viable candidate for the post of CJCSC. In that case, his promotion would need to be formalized at least a week prior to his retirement.
Criticism and Questions
The promotion sparked a wave of criticism from certain quarters who questioned its justification. Critics asked: What distinguished contribution warranted a fifth star? Some suggested that declining the honour would have further elevated his stature. Such arguments, however, reflect a limited understanding of the broader historical and strategic context.
Historical Perspective
Pakistan has fought three major wars and several conflicts with India. Despite narratives pushed by detractors, the Pakistan Armed Forces performed admirably in many of these encounters. In the 1965 war, Pakistan gained a distinct operational edge, compelling India to seek a ceasefire. The 1971 war, culminating in the loss of East Pakistan, was a complex geopolitical crisis — widely seen as part of a larger international conspiracy — and not merely a battlefield defeat.
India’s elevation of Gen Sam Manekshaw to Field Marshal after 1971 was not questioned domestically; rather, it became a source of national pride. Similarly, Gen Asim’s promotion serves to recognize decisive leadership during an exceptionally perilous period for Pakistan.
Military and Budget Myths
A recurring criticism is the purported dominance of the armed forces in Pakistan’s national budget, with figures as high as 80% being cited — inaccurately. In reality, the defence budget is around \$10.5 billion, a fraction of India’s \$85 billion annually. Moreover, the Pakistan Army has consistently modernized within its allocated resources.
Critics also accuse the military of being more invested in commerce than in combat readiness. However, recent operational outcomes and strategic positioning invalidate this claim.
Campaign of Discredit
Beginning April 2022, an aggressive social media campaign — allegedly orchestrated by the Pakistan Tehreek Pakistan (PTI) and its affiliates — aimed to delegitimize the Army and its leadership. Former COAS Gen Qamar Bajwa was vilified, while Asim Munir’s appointment as COAS was actively opposed through online propaganda and political pressure. The campaign peaked around the events of May 9, 2023, when coordinated acts of vandalism targeted military installations across Pakistan.
India’s Ongoing Hybrid War
Since 2001, India has pursued a policy of destabilizing Pakistan through proxy warfare, aided by the US, Israel, and NATO. It used Afghan and Iranian territory as launching pads for terrorism. Following the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in 2021, Indian intelligence re-established networks to reignite violence in KP and Baluchistan. Terrorist groups like TTP and BLA were armed with abandoned NATO weaponry and supported through sanctuaries in Afghanistan and Iran.
RAW reportedly spent over \$1 billion annually to fuel insurgency and economic disruption, aiming to fragment Pakistan and erode its nuclear deterrent.
The Limited War of 2025
By early 2025, India miscalculated that Pakistan was too weakened — politically, economically, and militarily — to resist a direct confrontation. It launched a three-phased war following a false-flag operation in Pahalgam, designed to implicate Pakistan.
- Phase One: Missile and drone strikes targeted civilian areas. PAF’s swift response neutralized seven Indian fighter jets and a drone. The bounty could’ve been 20 jets, but PAF exercised restraint and hit only those Indian jets that had struck civilian targets in Pakistan.
- Phase Two: Swarms of drones attacked urban centres; 82 were shot down by Pakistan’s air defence and civilians.
- *Phase Three: On May 9-10, India escalated to targeting military installations. Pakistan, until then restrained, launched *Operation Bunyan Al Marsus, crippling India’s air and ground capabilities within hours.
Pakistan’s counteroffensive, dubbed Operation Marka-e-Haq, not only repelled Indian advances but symbolically avenged the 1971 loss. This military success reinvigorated national morale and validated the Two-Nation Theory in a transformed South Asian landscape.
Preparation and Leadership
Victory was not accidental. Pakistan’s armed forces had prepared extensively. Despite battling insurgencies across two provinces, the military remained battle-hardened, resilient, and well-led.
Gen Asim Munir’s role was pivotal. He repaired internal divisions, restored discipline, and prepared the Army for high-intensity conflict. His leadership unified a fractured nation and delivered a strategic triumph. The victory was unique since Pakistan armed forces triumphed over the combined military strengths of India and Israel in just 4 days.
Challenges as COAS
When Gen Munir assumed command in November 2022, he inherited a deeply polarized society, weakened state institutions, a flailing economy, and a fractured military. PTI’s cult-like influence had disoriented public opinion and veterans alike.
The events of May 9, 2023, when over 250 military sites were attacked, presented a grave test. Gen Munir oversaw a firm but lawful crackdown, restoring order amid rising global scrutiny and misinformation. He also championed the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), which played a key role in economic stabilization.
Countering a Global Narrative
PTI’s international media ecosystem — reportedly supported by foreign governments, diasporas, and business lobbies — attempted to portray Gen Munir and the Army as oppressive and unpopular. However, strategic wins, diplomatic re-engagements, and internal reforms gradually reversed this narrative.
Gen Munir successfully navigated complex political terrain, reconnected with expatriates and veterans, and restored public confidence. His battlefield success served to silence detractors and reposition Pakistan on the global stage.
Why the Fifth Star?
Questions persist: Why was Gen Munir promoted to Field Marshal? The answer lies in strategic doctrine. In land-centric warfare, especially under nuclear overhangs, the Army plays a decisive role. As COAS, Gen Munir was the nucleus of this successful military machine.
His leadership not only safeguarded national sovereignty but also restored national dignity, unity, and confidence. His promotion was symbolic of victory — both on the battlefield and within the nation’s psyche.
Legacy
FM Asim Munir’s legacy is defined by resilience, foresight, and nation-building under fire. He brought together a divided military, repelled hybrid and kinetic threats, revitalized the economy, and countered a narrative war from within and beyond.
History will remember him not only as a Field Marshal but as a commander who stood firm in the storm and led Pakistan to one of its most defining victories.
About the Author
Brigadier (Retd) Asif Haroon Raja is a second-generation officer, a war veteran, he was part of 4 FF, which fought against the Indian 20 Mountain Division and held it at bay for 19 days in the epic battle of Hilli’ in erstwhile East Pakistan. He is the father of Maj Faheem Asif Shaheed. He is defence and political analyst, international columnist, author of five books, Chairman of Thinkers Forum Pakistan, and Patron-in-Chief of CDS Think Tank. He is a frequent participant in seminars and TV talk shows. He can be contacted at: asifharoonraja@gmail.com
