ISLAMABAD: The government on Tuesday promoted Chief of the Army Staff Gen Asim Munir to the rank of field marshal in recognition of his `strategic leadership and decisive role` in defeating India in the conflict that started earlier this month following the Pahalgam incident in India-occupied Kashmir.

`The Government of Pakistan has approved the promotion of General Syed Asim Munir (Nishan-e-Imtiaz, Military) to the rank of Field Marshal in recognition of his superior strategy and courageous leadership... (and) inflicted a decisive defeat upon the enemy,` a statement read.The elevation, first cleared by the federal cabinet and later communicated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to President Asif Ali Zardari, marks the first such promotion in over six decades. Pakistan had a serving field marshal in 1959, when Ayub Khan, the-then military ruler, awarded himself the five-star title.

Shortly after the announcement, PM Shehbaz posted on X, formerly Twitter,saying: `Under his command, our valiant armed forces staunchly defended Pakistan`s sovereignty and territorial integrity with unity, courage and the highest standards of military professionalism.

Field Marshal Munir, who has been serving as the army chief since November 2022, accepted the elevation, saying, as per a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), that it was not a personal honour but a tribute to the entire armed forces and the people of Pakistan.

Second extension for air chief The government also announced a second, open-ended extension in the tenure of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu. His current extension, granted last year, expires in March. He becomes the first PAF chief to receive two extensions, a move that underscores the central role he played in the successful execution of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos from May 7 to 10. `The government has also unanimously decided to extend the tenure of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu upon the completion of his current term,` a statement by the PM`s Office said.

Implications for military hierarchy Field Marshal Munir`s promotion has set off widespread speculation about its implications for Pakistan`s higher defence organisation (HDO), comprising the joint chiefs of staff committee (JCSC), headed by its chairman, and the three service chiefs (army, navy, air force). While the five-star title is largely ceremonial, questions have also been raised about its impact on the civil-military balance, the operational command chain, and the defence leadership`s future.

In a symbolic gesture, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza issued a congratulatory message, which analysts viewed as signalling that he would continue in his current role, despite now being technically junior to a five-star service chief.

Among retired military officials and analysts, opinions are divided.

Retired Lt Gen Naeem Khalid Lodhi, a former defence secretary and caretaker national security adviser, anticipated the creation of a long-proposed chief of defence staff (CDS) role, a concept first floated during Nawaz Sharif`s previous tenure.

Under this structure, COAS Munir could serve both as COAS and CDS, further consolidating his authority, he believed.

Conversely, retired Lt Gen Asif Yasin Malik, also a former defence secretary, downplayed the prospects of any structural change. `The field marshal rank is ceremonial, he said, adding that the COAS remained the most powerful operational position within the military hierarchy. `CDS is a coordinating role, not a command authority,` Mr Yasin noted, suggesting the existing setup would remain intact.

Both, however, foresee the creation of a position of the vice chief of army staff for a four-star general.

Legal and constitutional ambiguities The promotion has also revived debates over the legal foundations of the field marshal rank in Pakistan, with some experts noting the silence of the Constitution and the Pakistan Army Act on such an appointment.

Article 243 grants the president the authority to appoint service chiefs on the advice of the prime minister, but it does not mention five-star ranks.

The 2024 amendment to the Army Act extended the COAS`s tenure to five years and removed retirement age limits for fourstar generals.

A Ministry of Defence notification, however, said that the promotion had been made under Rule 199A of the Army Regulations (Rules) 1998.

The rules are classified, but according to a military source, the mentioned rule reads: `199-A.

Promotion to field marshal. A general officer, whether serving or retired, may be promoted to the rank of field marshalbythe federalgovernment without regard to seniority or any specificappointment.` Military law expert retired colonel Inamur Raheem, when contacted for verification of the secretive rules, confirmed the wording of Rule 199A.

A strategic signal While the rank does not grant additional operational authority, its conferral during a period of heightened regional tension carries strategic and political symbolism. It may also bolster Field Marshal Munir`s standing both within the military and in political circles, particularly amid ongoing internal instability and civil-military friction.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, who previously headed the Senate defence committee, noted that `Field Marshal Asim Munir is now very much in the driving seat as the pivot of the power structure, more so, given the weakness and divisions amongst the civilian politicians. Even before May, which has become an inflection point for Pakistan, for India and for South Asia, all the mainstream political forces were convinced that the road to Islamabad lies through Rawalpindi.

Columnist and political analyst Abbas Nasir, while commenting on the political angle of the promotion, said, `As far as its domestic impact is concerned, by jumping the gun without evidence after the Pahalgam terror attack, the Modi government gifted Pakistan a considerable amount of unity as the country rallied behind the armed forces, setting aside internal political differences, disappointments.

`Let`s see if national reconciliation is possible as a result of this Godsend or whether the country will revert to square one, he worried.

Mr Nasir, while commenting on the move, said, `One only hopes that the world governments and media, which appeared to hyphenate Pakistan and India after years of lining up behind India and appeared to buy Islamabad`s view largely, do not consider this a non-serious, or worse still belligerent, move.

Global context Pakistan`s only precedent for this move is Ayub Khan, whose 1959 elevation to the field marshal rank occurred amid his presidency and did not restructure the armed forces. Likewise, COAS Munir`s promotion is not expected to alter operational command but serves as a symbolic acknowledgement of his wartime leadership.

The global precedent supports this view. In India, Field Marshals Sam Manekshaw (1973) and K.M. Cariappa (1986) were promoted purely for ceremonial reasons, with no changes to the army`s structure. Similarly, in the United Kingdom and the United States, five-star titles have historically honoured extraordinary service during major wars without altering command frameworks.