Field Marshal or False Messiah? Munir Ascends, Pakistan Descends Amid the Militarization of Defeat

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In a move that has sparked domestic scrutiny and international bewilderment, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved the promotion of Army Chief General Asim Munir to the rarely conferred rank of Field Marshal. The decision comes just days after Pakistan’s military suffered a strategic setback in the wake of India’s cross-border Operation Sindoor.

The announcement—made after a cabinet meeting and consultations with President Asif Ali Zardari—marks only the second time in Pakistan’s history that the five-star rank has been awarded. The first was in 1959, when President Ayub Khan controversially self-promoted after a military coup, cementing the Army’s dominance over civilian institutions.

Promotion Amid Military Losses

The timing of General Munir’s elevation has raised eyebrows both at home and abroad. Operation Sindoor, India’s coordinated missile and drone strike campaign, was launched in retaliation for the brutal Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The attack — widely believed to have been orchestrated by The Resistance Front, a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy — resulted in the deaths of 26 unarmed civilians, most of them tourists.

Indian authorities linked the massacre to a provocative speech delivered days earlier by General Munir, in which he reportedly called on Pakistan’s armed forces and ideological allies to “reclaim the religious soul of Kashmir.” Indian intelligence characterized the statement not as a military directive but as a call to jihad—rhetoric that critics argue emboldened militant actors.

India’s precision strikes targeted nine terror hubs across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, dealing heavy blows to extremist infrastructure. India’s air defence systems largely neutralized Pakistani retaliatory drone offensives. De-escalation followed only after Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations formally requested a ceasefire.

Optics Over Operational Credibility?

Despite the military’s poor showing during the skirmish, Pakistani state media framed Munir’s promotion as recognition of his leadership during internal counterinsurgency campaigns such as “Marka-e-Haq” and “Bunyan-ul-Marsoos.” Yet independent analysts view the move as a calculated attempt at damage control—an effort to rally public morale and project cohesion amid growing disillusionment.

“Promoting someone after such a strategic embarrassment sends a message—not of confidence, but of desperate image management,” said a source in the defence and security establishment.

Veteran Indian officer Lt Col Manoj K Channan believes the implications are far-reaching. “This is more than symbolic. Field Marshal Munir’s promotion signals a return to Pakistan’s military-first governance model,” he said. “It’s a political thunderclap. The civilian façade in Islamabad remains thin, while real authority continues to rest in Rawalpindi. With Munir now elevated, that grip has only tightened.”

A Stark Contrast with India

India, by contrast, has awarded the rank of Field Marshal only in moments of historical significance. In 1973, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was honoured for leading India to victory in the 1971 war that birthed Bangladesh. In 1986, Field Marshal KM Cariappa was honoured post-retirement for his pivotal role as India’s first Army Chief. The Indian Air Force’s equivalent, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh, was conferred the rank in 2002 for a lifetime of distinguished service.

In both nations, the five-star rank is largely ceremonial. However, the promotion carries profound symbolic weight in Pakistan—where the military holds sway over foreign policy, internal security, and even electoral processes. It is widely seen as the Army’s attempt to reconsolidate control amid rising economic distress and diplomatic isolation.

Channan contends the move also reflects a deeper ideological pivot. “Munir’s framing of the military as a divine institution suggests a revivalist agenda cloaked in religious nationalism,” he said. “He appears to view his role not as one of service, but of spiritual ordination—a dangerous narrative for any modern state.”

A Distinctly Troubled Landscape

Unlike his predecessors, Munir’s ascent occurs amid growing instability: insurgencies in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are intensifying, unrest simmers in Sindh, and tensions with India are rising. Yet Munir appears more focused on ideological consolidation than institutional reform.

His narrative, Channan warns, risks deepening internal fault lines rather than healing them. “This isn’t reform; it’s regression. A revival of militarized nationalism will not solve Pakistan’s crises. It may, in fact, inflame them.”

Revisionist Diplomacy in the Region

Of particular concern is Pakistan’s evolving diplomatic posture toward Bangladesh. While the official line promotes reconciliation, Munir’s undertone tells a different story. His revisionist attempts to downplay the atrocities of 1971 as a mere “religious misunderstanding” is deeply troubling.

“This isn’t outreach; it’s whitewashing,” Channan said. “It erases historical truth in favour of ideological unity. The claim that Islam has supplanted Bengali culture is not only incorrect, it’s patronizing. Pakistan cannot build new bridges on foundations of historical denial.”

Global Stakes and Warnings Ignored

Channan issued a pointed warning to the international community: “Pakistan’s military transitions are not mere internal affairs. They have global repercussions. The IMF loan, U.S. military aid, and the F-16 deal must be re-examined. Are these instruments empowering stability—or enabling repression?”

He concluded with a grim assessment: “Munir may view himself as Pakistan’s saviour. But if history is any guide, this is simply the next act in a long cycle of military overreach and democratic suffocation. His reign may be loud, ideological, and even temporarily effective—but it will not be enduring. When it ends, Pakistan could be even further from the ideals of unity, democracy, and prosperity.”

A Nation at a Crossroads

As Pakistan stands on the precipice, Channan calls for internal introspection. “The question Pakistanis must ask is simple: is this leadership, or déjà vu in uniform? Democratic vigilance and civic participation are more critical now than ever.”

Author and commentator MJ Akbar put it even more bluntly just hours before Munir’s promotion to our platform:

“Regardless of what happens on the battlefield, the Pakistani Army always wins. They exploit defeat to increase their power. If they succeed, they preen—and then increase their power again. Whether riding on glory or crisis, their grip only tightens.”

Munir’s rise, then, is not a break from the past—but a resounding reaffirmation of it.

Huma Siddiqui and Ravi Shankar

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