 "General Syed Asim Munir. AP File")
In a significant move following a major military embarrassment during India’s recent ‘Operation Sindoor’, Pakistan has promoted General Asim Munir, the current Chief of Army Staff, to the rank of field marshal.
According to a Reuters report, citing a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, General Munir’s promotion was approved by Pakistan’s Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday.
Munir was promoted for his “exemplary role” in the conflict with India, reported state-run television channel PTV.
The promotion, the first-of-its-kind since Ayub Khan in 1959, comes at a time when Pakistan’s military leadership is being questioned for its operational failures and growing international scrutiny.
On May 7, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, a series of precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), in retaliation for a Pakistan-backed terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 civilian lives.
India targeted and destroyed nine terror launch pads, including known terror hubs in Bahawalpur and Muridke. This was followed by a military escalation, with intense artillery exchanges taking place on May 8 and 9.
India inflicted significant damage on 11 Pakistani airbases and other strategic military installations. However, despite the scale of the damage, the Shehbaz Sharif-led government in Pakistan claimed victory after a ceasefire agreement was reached between the two nations.
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View AllNotably, while Pakistan has been claiming victory in the recent conflict, India has busted its lies with evidence at various forums.
With inputs from agencies