Pakistan's Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, has approved the promotion of Army Chief General Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal. This is only the second time in Pakistan's history that the title has been bestowed, the first being in 1959 to Muhammad Ayub Khan.
The government cited General Munir's role during the recent military confrontation with India, dubbed Operation Sindoor, as a factor in his promotion. Despite his army's drubbing, less than 10 days later, General Asim Munir has been appointed 'Field Marshal' based on these outlandish and outrageous claims. Critics accuse the general of "promoting himself" and question the government's decision, particularly in light of perceived military setbacks during the conflict.
General Munir's promotion to Field Marshal was met with widespread trolling on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), where users questioned the rationale behind his elevation. Many pointed to Pakistan's recent military setbacks during the conflict with India, where Indian armed forces successfully intercepted and neutralised the majority of Pakistani drones and unarmed aerial vehicles. Some users also referenced reports alleging that Pakistani air bases were bombed during the confrontation, further fuelling their scepticism about the promotion. The online backlash highlights the disconnect between the government's decision and the public's perception of the military's performance.
The announcement was met with widespread satire on social media platforms, with people ridiculing the Pakistani government's decision as a self-congratulatory act built on falsehoods. The online reaction was filled with mocking comments and humorous takes, highlighting the perceived disconnect between reality and the government's narrative.
THE COMMUNAL SPEECH BEFORE THE TERROR ATTACK
General Asim Munir's inflammatory and shockingly-communal speech is widely considered as the trigger for the religiously-motivated Pahalgam terror attack - in which 26 civilians, all tourists, were shot dead in India for failing to pledge their allegiance to Islam.
The terror attack, which was linked to Pakistan, was carried out by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba. This led to India's military response against terrorism. Under Operation Sindoor, India destroyed terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir by precision missile strikes. 9 major terrorist camps and related infrastructure were destroyed.
