Status of public representatives higher than army: Baloch

MNA complains about not being invited to inauguration of cadet college by army chief

ISLAMABAD: Maulana Jamaluddin, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Safron, complained that the army chief inaugurated a cadet college in South Waziristan, which was a constituency, but didn’t invite any MNA or senator to the ceremony.

He remarked that his complaint should be forwarded as the army or someone else wasn’t allowing them to get closer. The army wasn’t superior to the public representatives, he added.

Minister for Safron Abdul Qadir Baloch said the army was a subordinate institution and the status of elected representatives was higher than that. He explained that the army could only invite, not send for, the public representatives, adding that the military could invite the political agent only through the governor to a ceremony.

Baloch said the offices of president, prime minister or minister were political and they attended any ceremony according to protocol. He regretted that state of affairs were in the army’s control due to the imposition of martial laws repeatedly and terrorism. There was no martial law in the country and his (Jamaluddin’s) status was higher than the army, Baloch added.

He said the army chiefs around the world worked under the defence secretary but unfortunately it wasn’t the case in Pakistan. “Army is a government servant. There is no basis of your complaint,” Baloch remarked. The minister said he would share the complaint, if insisted, privately but he could not do that at an official level.