In Pakistan’s 78-year historical past, Asim Munir is just the second particular person to turn into a Field Marshal. Before him, Ayub Khan, who seized energy by overthrowing the federal government, had awarded himself the rank of Field Marshal in 1959.

New Delhi:

Pakistan’s determination to advertise Army Chief General Asim Munir to Field Marshal — even after the humiliating blow dealt by India in Operation Sindoor — isn’t just tone-deaf, it’s a blatant mockery of democratic norms. Instead of holding the navy accountable for its failures, the civilian management led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has chosen to reward incompetence with unchecked energy. The improvement has fueled hypothesis amongst consultants a couple of rising tilt towards navy dominance within the nation. Analysts imagine that following the Indian Army’s Operation Sindoor, the Pakistani navy seems to be tightening its grip on the federal government.

In a transfer echoing Pakistan’s authoritarian previous, Munir has been promoted to the rank of Field Marshal, successfully inserting him above the nation’s judiciary and political framework. Becoming a Field Marshal in Pakistan would not simply imply an honorary promotion — it means being legally untouchable. No courtroom in Pakistan can prosecute a Field Marshal.

Munir now joins a really unique record — he’s solely the second man within the nation’s 78-year historical past to carry this title. The first was Ayub Khan, who seized energy in a 1958 navy coup after which conferred the title upon himself the next 12 months. Unlike Ayub Khan, General Munir took a special path. He obtained the elected authorities to legitimise his promotion. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif not solely accredited the choice but in addition publicly introduced it — elevating critical questions concerning the energy dynamics between the navy and the elected management. This improvement has additionally triggered shockwaves throughout Pakistan, with critics calling it a “civilian-backed coup.”

A lifetime of energy with 5 stars  The Field Marshal title comes with a lifetime assure. Once awarded, the rank can’t be revoked, not even by the Prime Minister. Unlike an Army Chief, who can technically be eliminated by civilian management, a Field Marshal solutions to nobody. It is the head of navy energy — and Munir now wears it with a fifth star on his uniform, a visible badge of this unchallengeable authority.

By custom, Field Marshal standing is reserved for distinctive wartime management. But in Pakistan, as observers have famous again and again — “anything is possible.” Despite the embarrassing setbacks suffered by the Pakistani armed forces throughout India’s lately launched Operation Sindoor, Munir went forward and adorned himself with the fifth star, formally assuming the rank of Field Marshal. Critics have condemned the transfer as blatant self-promotion, particularly at a time of navy humiliation.

A promotion constructed on propaganda Over the previous ten days, the Pakistani navy has run an aggressive media marketing campaign, claiming that Asim Munir efficiently foiled an Indian offensive beneath Operation Sindoor and inflicted heavy losses on India. However, defence analysts have dismissed these claims as unfounded propaganda. Many political observers now imagine that Munir engineered his personal promotion, with PM Sharif appearing as little greater than a rubber stamp.

Not stepping down as Army chief both Adding to the controversy, Munir is just not planning to relinquish his present publish as Army Chief. Pakistani journalist Waqar Malik reported that Munir will seemingly proceed because the de facto navy head, retaining all operational powers even whereas holding the symbolic Field Marshal rank. The Shehbaz Sharif-led authorities has already prolonged the time period of the Army Chief from three to 5 years, just about guaranteeing Munir stays in energy till 2027. His present time period was scheduled to finish on November 29, 2025. But now, with this new improvement and sure extension, Munir might dominate Pakistan’s political and navy panorama for years.

Imran Khan’s camp livid It is to be famous right here that the transfer hasn’t gone with out backlash. Leaders of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have sharply criticised the choice. Imran Khan’s sister, Aleema Khan, even took a jibe, saying, “Instead of creating Asim Munir a Field Marshal, Shehbaz Sharif ought to have simply declared him the Baadshah (Emperor) of Pakistan.”

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