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Asim Munir becoming field marshal sparks social media roasts amid Operation Sindoor fallout

Pakistan COAS Gen Asim Munir’s elevation to Field Marshal has triggered a wave of online mockery, with netizens questioning the move after India’s Operation Sindoor targeted 11 Pakistani airbases. Explore the controversy and social media reactions.

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The Squirrels Bureau
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On May 21, Pakistan’s military establishment made headlines when General Asim Munir was promoted to Field Marshal, the country’s highest military rank, as announced by the Pakistan Prime Minister’s office. This rare honour, making Munir only the second individual in Pakistan’s history to achieve this rank, was met with a storm of online ridicule rather than reverence. Social media platforms, particularly X, erupted with memes and sarcastic commentary, with many questioning the rationale behind the promotion, especially in the wake of India’s devastating Operation Sindoor, which reportedly targeted 11 Pakistani airbases.

Backdrop

The promotion comes just over a week after India’s military operation on May 7, which struck a significant blow to Pakistan’s air defences. Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists, and was attributed to Pakistan-backed terror groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), the militants of which identified non-Muslim men to shoot them dead.

The Indian armed forces conducted precision airstrikes on nine terrorist sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including JeM’s Subhan Allah complex in Bahawalpur, reportedly killing 10 family members of JeM chief Masood Azhar and several aides.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly acknowledged the strikes, revealing that General Munir informed him of the attacks at 2:30 AM on May 7. The operation targeted key military infrastructure, including radar units and ammunition dumps, with India claiming no civilian casualties.

However, Pakistan’s narrative of a robust response was widely contested by global war and security experts, who labelled the country’s air defences as ineffective. Social media users seized on this, with one X post quipping, “Not for winning anything but just for participating,” branding Munir’s promotion as a classic case of “failing upward.”

The phrase “Yeh taufa humne khud ko diya hai” (I have given this gift to myself), originally from the 2018 Bollywood film Padmaavat, became a viral meme to mock Munir’s self-awarded promotion. Netizens drew parallels to Ranveer Singh’s character Alauddin Khilji, with memes showing Munir pinning a Field Marshal badge on himself.

Posts on X included captions like “Field Marshal or Bunk Marshal?” and visuals of Munir dodging cartoon Indian jets, highlighting the perceived incompetence of Pakistan’s military response to Operation Sindoor.

The operation’s success, which included destroying Turkish drones and Chinese missiles, further fueled the online roasting.

Sam Manekshaw vs Asim Munir

Comparisons to India’s legendary Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, affectionately known as Sam Bahadur, were inevitable. Manekshaw, who led India to victory in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, is celebrated for his strategic brilliance and charisma.

In contrast, Munir’s promotion was seen as a hollow gesture, with X users posting side-by-side images of Manekshaw’s triumphs and Munir’s perceived failures. One meme depicted Manekshaw with a “Winner” trophy and Munir with a “Participation Medal,” encapsulating the sentiment that Munir’s elevation lacked merit.

The timing of the promotion also raised eyebrows, as it followed a controversial Supreme Court ruling in Pakistan endorsing the trials of civilians in military courts, granting Munir’s military establishment greater control. Critics argue this move further suppressed democracy in Pakistan, adding fuel to the narrative that the Field Marshal rank was a self-serving power grab. Posts on X sarcastically congratulated Munir for “awarding himself” the prestigious title, with one user stating, “Nothing screams ‘military genius’ like letting the enemy bomb ten of your top airbases.”

The serious debate

Operation Sindoor’s broader implications continue to stir debate. India’s strikes, which lasted from 1:05 AM to 1:30 AM, targeted terror camps linked to JeM, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen, neutralising 70–80 terrorists. Pakistan’s claims of civilian casualties were debunked, with Sindh’s Chief Minister confirming that the strikes hit military targets, killing six Pakistani Air Force personnel. The operation’s precision and India’s rebuttal of Pakistan’s propaganda, including false claims of destroying India’s S-400 system, underscored the military disparity that netizens gleefully highlighted.

As the dust settles, Munir’s Field Marshal promotion has become a lightning rod for online satire, with the “Yeh taufa” meme encapsulating the absurdity of rewarding perceived failure. The contrast with Sam Manekshaw’s legacy has only amplified the roasting, as netizens across borders revel in the irony. For now, Asim Munir’s new title may shine on paper, but it’s a punchline that shows no signs of fading on social media.

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