Shehbaz Sharif claims credit for Asif Muneer's elevation as Pakistan's field marshal

PAkistan ground government minister Shehbaz Sharif on midweek said he in person decided to elevate regular army chief general Asim Munir to the rank of field marshal for his role in the recent conflict with India.The announcement followed a cabinet meeting chaired by Shehbaz on Tuesday, where the decision to promote Munir was finalised.Asim Munir is the first Pakistani army officer since general Ayub Khan to be promoted to the rank of field marshal, a title last conferred in 1959.Speaking to a select group of journalists, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif discussed the recent four-day conflict with India along with other key issues, Geo News reported.Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the decision to promote the army chief was his own, though he consults his elder brother and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on key matters.Shehbaz stressed that war brings victory to one side and loss to the other, adding, “Only lasting peace can guarantee a secure future.”India and Pakistan agreed to end hostilities on May 10 after four days of intense drone and missile exchanges across the border.Regarding talks between Islamabad and New Delhi, Shehbaz said that whenever discussions on terrorism take place, they will be held by the national security advisers of both countries.He said India is not willing to involve any third country in the dialogue process.India has always maintained that the Kashmir issue is a bilateral matter with Pakistan, and there is no space for any third party.Shehbaz lists dialogue priorities with IndiaPrime Minister Shehbaz also said that Pakistan will raise four key points in any future dialogue with India, Kashmir, water, trade, and terrorism. He suggested that holding talks in a third country could be a good decision.He also claimed that Israel “extensively supported India” during the conflict with Pakistan.In the same interaction, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that a return to peace between Pakistan and India followed an understanding reached by the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries, according to Dunya News.He credited US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for playing a crucial role in brokering the ceasefire. Shehbaz also noted that China, Turkey, and other allied nations had extended firm support to Pakistan during the crisis.He went on to allege that Indian intelligence agencies had been backing the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), but did not provide evidence to substantiate the claim.With PTI inputs