A promotion after defeat: What's behind Asim Munir's Field Marshal gambit

In a move steeped more in symbolism than substance, Pakistan’s powerful army chief General Asim Munir has been elevated to the rarefied rank of Field Marshal . The announcement, made on Tuesday by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet, marks the first such promotion in over six decades. Only one other man-military dictator Ayub Khan in 1959-has held the title.

But unlike Ayub, who awarded himself the rank amid consolidating his political power, Munir’s elevation comes on the heels of a military debacle. A bruising exchange with India, following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, resulted in India striking at least nine Pakistani air bases. The damage, while officially downplayed in Pakistan, left Munir politically exposed.

So why the promotion? And why now?

Promotion or protection?

• Officially, the move is being framed as a recognition of “strategic brilliance.” PM Sharif praised Munir’s “decisive defeat of the enemy,” asserting that under his leadership, the military “staunchly defended Pakistan’s sovereignty.” Munir himself called the promotion “an honour for the armed forces and the nation.”
• But few outside Pakistan’s tightly controlled media landscape are buying it.
• “Field Marshal rank is usually conferred after a military victory,” Tilak Devasher, a seasoned Pakistan watcher, told the Economic Times. “This may be the first time it has been awarded after a defeat-it seems intended to mask that defeat.”
• The timing is hard to ignore. Pakistan’s public is still reeling from the fallout of the India strikes, and internal dissent within the army is reportedly rising.
• A widely circulated letter from a group calling itself “The Guardians of Honour” accused Munir of corruption and military incompetence. The letter reflects what some analysts say is quiet but growing discontent within senior ranks.

A shield against scrutiny
In a country where generals often enjoy impunity, the Field Marshal title may serve more as legal and political armor than as a mark of distinction. Some analysts see the promotion as a pre-emptive move to insulate Munir from possible court martial or early retirement, the ET report said.

Legal experts point out that the Pakistani constitution makes no mention of the rank. Nor does the Pakistan Army Act. Instead, the promotion was reportedly made under Rule 199A of the Army Regulations (1998), which states that a general may be promoted to Field Marshal “without regard to seniority or any specific appointment.”

In essence, the move raises Munir above the military’s existing command structure-and, potentially, above accountability.

All ceremony, no strategy
Though technically ceremonial, the rank carries potent political meaning. In Pakistan’s civil-military power dynamic, optics often matter more than operational command.

“Munir is now very much in the driving seat as the pivot of the power structure,” said Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, former chair of the Senate defense committee. “Given the weakness and divisions amongst the civilian politicians... all the mainstream political forces were convinced that the road to Islamabad lies through Rawalpindi.”

That reality is reflected in the government’s simultaneous decision to extend the term of air chief marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu-his second extension. Sidhu was credited with executing Operation Bunyanun Marsoos, Pakistan’s retaliatory air campaign against India's Operation Sindoor .

Still, in a tightly managed information environment, the military’s version of events prevails. State media declared a historic victory. Social media was flooded with hashtags like #PakistanStandsUnited. Meanwhile, dissenting voices-journalists, analysts, even former officers-vanished from screens.

The big picture: The war at home

• Munir’s rise comes at a fragile moment for Pakistan. The ceasefire with India has held for now. But underneath the diplomatic calm lies a volatile domestic landscape:
• Security turmoil: Over 3,700 terror incidents have claimed nearly 3,900 lives in the past 17 months, according to ISPR figures-pointing to a deteriorating internal security climate, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
• Political unrest: The jailing of former PM Imran Khan and suppression of PTI supporters has fueled an undercurrent of defiance. Critics accuse Munir of leveraging the Pahalgam terror incident to consolidate power.
• Economic fragility: With rising inflation, IMF-dependency, and India's suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, Pakistan's economy teeters on the edge. The military’s growing political role is being scrutinized for exacerbating the instability.
• Observers note that Munir is not merely defending national borders-he is navigating a labyrinth of domestic vulnerabilities that could unravel his authority.
• His use of the two-nation theory and religious rhetoric to frame the India conflict was seen by critics as an attempt to rally the nation behind him. But the strategy may have backfired. “Instead of unifying the nation, the gambit drew attention to Pakistan’s widening fractures,” write analysts Ashok Behuria and Uttam Sinha in a joint commentary in the TOI.

The ghost of Imran Khan
Munir’s political calculus also includes a rising challenge from behind bars: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan. His PTI party has labeled Munir a “warmonger and coward,” accusing him of dragging Pakistan into war to consolidate power. Khan’s moral authority, paradoxically strengthened by his imprisonment, continues to mobilize his base.

Sharif’s civilian government, already seen as beholden to the military, risks further erosion of legitimacy. As one viral meme put it: “War fought by Airforce. Army Chief promoted. Army’s only contribution-taking videos of tanks and hiding in bunkers.”

What’s next

• Munir’s elevation to Field Marshal is not about military strategy-it’s about political survival. It’s about shoring up a fractured command structure, muffling dissent, and projecting strength in the face of growing weakness.
• Though the promotion may temporarily strengthen Munir’s position, it doesn’t erase the challenges ahead:
• Internal threats persist, from Baloch separatists to the resurgent Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
• PTI's political comeback looms, with Khan’s moral leverage growing even from prison.
• Civil-military tension could intensify, especially if the rank is seen as an attempt to silence dissent or circumvent institutional checks.
• There’s also talk of Munir eventually transitioning into a political role-possibly even as president. Ayub Khan set the precedent. In Pakistan’s fragile democracy, few would be surprised if history rhymed again.

(With inputs from agencies)