https://arab.news/wf6vc
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif applauds the top army commander for his ‘unflinching courage’
- He says Field Marshal Asim Munir led the armed forces to ‘outstanding victory’ against India
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s top political leadership on Thursday conferred the baton of field marshal on army chief Syed Asim Munir at a ceremony in Islamabad, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praising him for his “unflinching courage” during the recent military standoff with India.
Munir was elevated to the five-star rank during a federal cabinet meeting earlier this week. The rank of field marshal is the highest military designation in Pakistan and has only been awarded once before to former President Ayub Khan.
“Today we have gathered here to pay our tribute to Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, for his admirable leadership, unflinching courage and outstanding service to our motherland as we have just conferred upon him the most prestigious and revered military title of Field Marshal,” the prime minister said during the ceremony.
“His command during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos and his resolute courage in safeguarding Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity not only thwarted the nefarious designs of the adversary but rewrote the history of warfare that shall continue to inspire generations to come,” he added.
Sharif credited Munir with leading Pakistan’s armed forces to what he described as an “outstanding victory” against an enemy “caught in its own web of arrogance and hubris.”
Referring to Pakistan’s military retaliation earlier this month after Indian strikes, Sharif said the army responded with speed and precision, pushing the conflict deep into enemy territory.
“In the annals of regional conflict and diplomacy, what transpired during those challenging days will not only be remembered as an outstanding military victory but also as a moral and diplomatic triumph,” Sharif said.
He also highlighted the close coordination between Pakistan’s political and military leadership in confronting the twin challenges of economic instability and foreign-backed terrorism, calling the synergy “unprecedented.”
“Today I join the entire nation in acknowledging the meritorious services of a son of the soil who embodies the finest traditions of the Pakistan Army and whose services shall remain etched in the annals of our national history,” he added.