General Asim Munir Named Field Marshal, Backed by Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, Raising Fears of Democratic Backsliding
On May 20, 2025, Pakistan’s federal cabinet, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, approved the promotion of Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal, a ceremonial five-star position not awarded since General Ayub Khan in 1965. This decision, reportedly backed by influential political figures Nawaz Sharif