ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday formally decorated Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Syed Asim Munir with the rank of field marshal by handing over the baton (of Field Marshal) at a ceremony held at the Presidency.

Members of federal cabinet, Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, provincial chief ministers, governors, services chiefs, diplomats and civil and military officers attended the event.

The government had approved the promotion of the army chief to the rank of field marshal for ensuring the defence of the country and defeating India through his courageous, sagacious leadership and exceptional strategy during Marka-i-Haq and Operation Bunyanum Marsoos.

The rank of field marshal is the highest rank of armies built on the pattern of the British Army. It has only been awarded to one other — Gen Ayub Khan — by the presidential cabinet in 1959. It is a ceremonial five-star rank that usually signifies extraordinary leadership and wartime achievement.

Ceremony attended by cabinet members, Bilawal, Nawaz, governors and CMs, services chiefs

“I, as President of Pakistan, hereby promote Gen Syed Asim Munir to the full rank of field marshal and confer the baton of the field marshal. As supreme commander of the armed forces, I was more than happy to approve the conferment,” said President Zardari in his speech at the ceremony.

“Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, your military career is forged with courage and refined by wisdom, a commitment to lead with vision, strength and honour at the highest level of our armed forces,” he added.

PM Shehbaz, while lauding the services of the army chief at the ceremony, said, “Today is an honour for the entire nation.” He said it was because of valiant and sagacious leadership of Field Marshal Munir that armed forces achieved a historic victory and gave a lifetime lesson to an arrogant enemy.

Today the entire nation salutes to the national heroes, Field Marshal Asim Munir, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar, Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf and the armed forces of the country for not only defending the country’s borders but also giving a befitting reply and a lifetime lesson to the enemy, the prime minister said.

He said that he had closely witnessed the courage, calmness and sagacity of Field Marshal Munir that led to the victory of Pakistan during the conflict with India.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2025