### **Pakistan Promotes Army Chief General Asim Munir to Field Marshal, First in Nearly 60 Years**
Islamabad, June 25, 2024 – In a historic move, Pakistan’s government has promoted Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal, the country’s highest military honor, for the first time since 1965.
The decision was announced by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in a statement on Tuesday, following approval by the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The promotion comes just days after Pakistan’s most serious military confrontation with India in nearly three decades.
Recognition of “Strategic Brilliance and Courageous Leadership”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated that the promotion was granted
“in recognition of the strategic brilliance and courageous leadership that ensured national security and decisively defeated the enemy.”
A senior security official confirmed that Field Marshal is a five-star ceremonial rank, typically reserved for wartime achievements and extraordinary military leadership.
First Promotion Since Ayub Khan in May 1965
The last—and only—Pakistani officer to hold this rank was Field Marshal Ayub Khan, who promoted himself in 1965 during the Indo-Pak War. General Munir’s elevation marks the first such appointment in 59 years.
Despite the new rank, Munir will continue serving as Army Chief, the PMO clarified.
Extension for Air Force Chief
In a related development, the federal cabinet also approved an extension in service for Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Chief Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, though no specific duration was mentioned.
Background on General Asim Munir
General Munir took command as Pakistan’s 17th Army Chief in November 2022*. His term was extended to five years (instead of the usual three) through a legal amendment in November 2023.
In a statement released by the *Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Munir called the honor “ not an individual achievement, but a recognition of the entire armed forces and the nation.
