Pakistan's army chief General Asim Munir is the most powerful man in the country, but his popular support has surged after the worst conflict in decades with arch-rival India, shattering criticism of interference in politics and harshly cracking down on opponents.

Pakistan’s prime minister has promoted the country’s powerful army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, to the rank of field marshal, making him only the second military officer in Pakistan’s history to hold the title.

China made a critical difference in the latest India-Pakistan conflict, says Imtiaz Gul, a Pakistani security analyst. "It took the Indian planners by sheer surprise. They didn't probably envision the depth of co-operation in the modern warfare between Pakistan and China," he said.