Pak army chief Asim Munir promoted to Field Marshal; trolls have a field day

Pakistan’s Army Chief Asim Munir was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal by the Pakistan Government on Tuesday (May 20) for his apparent role in the recent conflict with India.

This makes him the leader of the Pakistani armed forces, and only the second officer to be promoted to such a rank, after Dictator General Ayub Khan promoted himself to Field Marshal in 1959.

Sudden promotion confusing

The decision seems a little confusing given Pakistan's recent drubbing in the hands of the Indian Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor.

Also read: Three teams to leave with India’s anti-terror message today; here’s their brief

The decision to promote Munir was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. A statement was released, saying, “The Government of Pakistan has approved the promotion of General Asim Munir (Nishan-e-Imtiaz Military) to the rank of Field Marshal for ensuring the security of the country and defeating the enemy based on the high strategy and courageous leadership.”

No retirement age for Field Marshal

This has fuelled further suspicions that the Pakistani government and executive are being controlled by the Army.

His appointment to Field Marshal could also imply that he need not retire at the specified age limit as an Army Chief, as a Field Marshal holds the posting for life, suggesting a push for power.

Operation Sindoor and Pakistani counter-attack

After India’s retaliatory strike, ‘Operation Sindoor’, in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, the Pakistani army chief decided to step up the escalatory ladder and launch a military offensive against Indian military installations as well as target civilian and religious sites.

Also read: National Anti-Terrorism Day: Know its purpose, relevance in backdrop of Op Sindoor

Drone and missile attacks from Pakistan, as part of the Mission Bunyan-um-Marsoos, went on for three consecutive nights, but most were successfully intercepted by India's air defence systems.

In its response, India launched a sudden and calibrated missile and drone attack on 12 Pakistani air bases, resulting in widespread devastation on Pakistan's military infrastructure and assets.

Munir’s posting trolled on social media

Social media trolls, however, are having a field day in the wake of the announcement.

Users on X asked how an army chief gets promoted, or ‘promotes himself’, after allowing India’s attacks on key Pakistani infrastructure.

Also read: How two Asims brought their country Pakistan to the brink of war

"Asim Munir elevated himself to the rank of Field Marshal. Clown country," quipped a user on X.

Reports of Munir moved to bunker trolled

Referring to several reports that General Asim Munir had been moved from his army headquarters in Rawalpindi and hidden in a bunker during the four-day cross-border fighting with India, one X user posted, “After his promotion Asim Munir is now entitled to get a bigger, more spacious bunker.”

Some users posted a video clip of Bollywood actor Nana Patekar from a film, in which he offers pooja to himself in a mirror and appreciates himself. They compared the scene to that of Asim Munir "promoting himself to the rank of Field Marshal".

Munir’s journey in Pakistani Army

Munir entered the army through the officers’ training school rather than the more prestigious route of Pakistan’s military academy.

Also read: Op Sindoor: Army denies deploying air defence guns in Golden Temple premises

He then worked his way up the ranks quickly, becoming the director of military intelligence in 2016, followed by the director general of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), one of the most powerful military roles, in 2018.

Munir was appointed the army chief in November 2022, just three days before he was set to retire, and was slated to have a three-year tenure. However, the government extended his term to five years in 2024 and he is now expected to serve till November 2027.