In a widely-hailed move, the Federal Government, on Tuesday, elevated Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir to the coveted rank of Field Marshal in recognition of his strategic leadership and decisive role in defending the motherland effectively and inflicting a humiliated defeat on India in the recent short war.
The decision, taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, marks a rare move in Pakistan’s military history.
The rank of Field Marshal – the highest in the army – is traditionally reserved for outstanding wartime leadership and valour.
The elevation follows a decisive military response to cross-border hostilities earlier this month.
In a related move, the Cabinet also agreed unanimously to extend the tenure of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, whose term was nearing completion, citing the continuity of defence leadership as critical to national security.
The promotion of the Army Chief is well-deserved because of his exceptional leadership qualities as highlighted during the operation Bunyanun Marsoos, which has added a new but golden chapter in the defence history of the country.
The operation, launched in response to the aggression committed by the enemy on the pretext of the Pahalgam incident, came as a pleasant surprise for friends and a severe shock to the foes as Pakistan achieved decisive victory in the war within hours because of meticulous planning, visionary utilization of available resources and strong coordination among the three services.
It is because of the results that the operation produced that its various aspects have become topics of discussions and research in defence circles throughout the globe including weapons’ manufacturers and suppliers.
India launched operation ‘Sindoor’ on the assumption it will bring Pakistan to its knees as India enjoyed numerical superiority but the comprehensive response it received produced the opposite results.
Pakistan’s superb military and diplomatic strategies raised the head of every Pakistani and those who crafted the response definitely need recognition.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was quick in announcing a comprehensive compensation package for families of both military and civilian martyrs and those injured while bravely defending the country in the face of unprovoked aggression.
On that occasion and subsequently as well he repeated decision of the Government to confer highest awards on heroes of the war and he has started implementing his pledge by promoting Syed Asim Munir to the prestigious rank of Field Marshal.
The title first went to Ayub Khan in 1959 but there is a sharp difference – Ayub Khan promoted himself to the rank without cogent reasons but this time round the nation has bestowed the title on Asim Munir because of his established exceptional leadership role in the recent conflict.
It is also noteworthy that the COAS accepted the promotion humbly by dedicating the honour to the entire nation.
His sense of commitment to the cause of the defence is highlighted by the remarks he made “This honour is a trust of the nation, and for this cause, millions of Asim Munir’s are ready to sacrifice”, adding it was not an individual honour but an honour for the armed forces and the whole nation.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister has rightly pointed out that during the ‘Battle of Truth’, the army chief foiled the enemy’s nefarious designs through his leadership and professional capabilities and his decisive steps restored the balance of power in the region.
President Asif Ali Zardari too has aptly stated that under the leadership of Syed Asim Munir, the Pakistan Armed Forces crushed the enemy’s arrogance with an excellent strategic response.
By conferring the title of Field Marshal, the nation has reposed extraordinary confidence in the leadership qualities of Syed Asim Munir and hopefully he will contribute further in boosting national defence in view of continuing aggressive posture by the enemy.
The extension of tenure of the Air Chief is also recognition of the perfect strategy evolved and implemented by the Pakistan Air Force in thwarting nefarious designs of the invader and teaching it a lesson it will never forget.
