A bizarre political-military drama is currently unfolding in Pakistan. General Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, a four-star officer of the Pakistan Army, has been promoted to the rank of Field Marshal — a five-star position. In his official statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan lauded the general's "strategic brilliance and courageous leadership that ensured national security and decisively defeated the enemy."
At first glance, this might seem like routine military promotion. However, what happens in Pakistan doesn’t necessarily stay within its borders. Just ten days ago, the Pakistan military was engaged in a low-intensity conflict with India. During this skirmish, India reportedly destroyed significant military infrastructure, including strategic assets within highly secured Pakistani air bases. There are even unconfirmed reports suggesting that some elements of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal were compromised during the Indian missile strikes.
The intensity of India’s offensive was such that General Munir had to reportedly approach Prime Minister Sharif in the early hours — around 2:30 a.m. — to request U.S. diplomatic intervention to pressure India into agreeing to a ceasefire. In light of this, General Munir's promotion appears baffling. His performance during the brief 90-hour conflict demonstrated neither strategic brilliance nor extraordinary courage. So why the elevation to Field Marshal?
The Real Power Equation
The answer lies in Pakistan’s entrenched civil-military power dynamics. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was not elected in the conventional democratic sense but was effectively installed by the military establishment, led by General Munir. This arrangement traces back to 2022 when then-Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted through a no-confidence vote. Sharif, the opposition leader at the time, took over as interim Prime Minister.
In the 2024 general elections, General Munir allegedly orchestrated widespread electoral rigging to ensure the defeat of Imran Khan’s highly popular Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. As a result, a coalition led by Sharif emerged victorious amid widespread scepticism. He assumed office on March 4, 2024.
Promoting Munir to Field Marshal — despite Pakistan’s poor military performance against India — is widely seen as a reward for facilitating Sharif’s political ascent. In reality, General Munir is the power behind the throne. Although Sharif claimed the promotion was his decision, many believe Munir effectively promoted himself.
This is hardly unusual in Pakistan, a country that has experienced direct military rule for 33 out of its 78 years of existence. Even during civilian governments, military influence looms large. General Ayub Khan, for instance, promoted himself to Field Marshal in 1958 and ruled for 11 years. While Munir has yet to officially take over the government, his recent self-promotion suggests a long-term ambition to do just that.
The Timing Was No Coincidence
So what prompted Munir’s self-promotion? Analyzing recent events suggests that the general may have been laying the groundwork for his promotion for months — even before the conflict with India. In Pakistan’s deeply fractured society, military leaders have repeatedly exploited anti-India sentiment to unify the population and justify their own power grabs. The easiest way to invoke this sentiment is through the Kashmir issue.
In April, General Munir delivered a provocative speech to a gathering of influential Pakistanis. He evoked the "two-nation theory" and referred to Kashmir as Pakistan’s "jugular vein" — a narrative rooted in the 1947 partition of India. Conveniently, he omitted any mention of the collapse of this theory in 1971, when East Pakistan seceded to form Bangladesh. The general also sidestepped the issue of the rebellion in Baluchistan; the largest province in Pakistan where Pakistan army personnel are being killed regularly. It is said that currently the army has no control over the province.
Soon after, Pakistan reportedly orchestrated a terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, resulting in the death of 26 Hindu tourists. India's retaliation was swift and brutal: the Indian military destroyed nine terrorist training camps deep inside Pakistani territory. Pakistan’s response was ineffective — their missile and drone attacks failed, as the India's air defence systems proved its mettle and intercepted every attempt to hit India. Eventually, India launched precision strikes on major Pakistani air bases, inflicting significant damage.
Whatever be the general’s motivations for his sudden provocative speech, Indian security experts see it as dog whistling to a group of terrorists to initiate the terror attack in Pahalgam.
Does this lead to a conclusion that General Munir was planning way ahead for his promotion?
Manipulation and Media Misdirection
Despite the apparent military debacle, General Munir spun a different narrative for the Pakistani public. Social media was flooded with false reports of Pakistani success. International outlets like The New York Times eventually reported the actual events, but by then, the Pakistani public had been saturated with misleading propaganda.
Within this manufactured perception, Munir appeared a bold and victorious leader — a fitting candidate for the Field Marshal title.
Some international commentators suggest that Munir’s promotion was necessary to reinforce his public image and legitimize his leadership. The truth, however, seems far more cynical: General Munir had long aspired to the title of Field Marshal, and the orchestrated skirmish with India was a stepping stone toward fulfilling that ambition.
As with many previous Pakistani generals, national welfare appears secondary to personal gain. Pakistan’s economy is in shambles — its treasury is empty, IMF loans are piling up, and inflation is out of control. Yet, instead of addressing these crises, Munir appears more interested in consolidating power.
It may be only a matter of time before Pakistan’s new Field Marshal dispenses with civilian rule entirely and assumes direct control. But if history is any guide, this would not bring order — only further chaos. His jihadist posturing and military ambitions risk dragging Pakistan deeper into darkness and instability, to the detriment of its people and the region as a whole.
