Pakistan's first and only other Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan rose to absolute power more than six decades ago.

As Field Marshal Munir rises, Shehbaz and Zardari grapple with the enduring shadow of Pakistan’s military coups

In Pakistan's 78-year history, Asim Munir is only the second person to become a Field Marshal. Before him, Ayub Khan, who seized power by overthrowing the government, had awarded himself the rank of Field Marshal in 1959.