The Uniform Stays Even after It’s Doffed!
By Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)
Rawalpindi, Pakistan

A few big wigs of the government have made it known that the President will doff his uniform on November 16th this year. On the other hand the anti-Musharraf sceptics are busy creating doubts in the mind of the general public about the President not keeping his promise again. I think, we are a people who excel in twisting the facts to exploit a given situation to our own advantage.
Firstly, it is not the President who is making any promises to take off the uniform and it is his close associates who are saying so. Secondly, all that he will do is to abide by the constitution that allows him to remain in uniform till the 15th of November 2007. Promise or no promise, he will doff it thereafter. So why indulge in unnecessary speculations and argumentations for and against it? He is allowed to hold both the offices of the COAS as well as that of the President of Pakistan till 15 November 2007, and if the Presidential elections are held before that date, he will naturally contest them in uniform. And if elected, he will stay in uniform till the last day he is allowed to wear it, that is, 15 November 2007. The next day he will doff it and take the oath of the office of the President for the next five years as a ‘civilian’ President. It is as simple as that.
Now this terminology of his being a civilian President also needs some elaboration. From 16 November onwards he will be a Retired General of the Pakistan army and entitled to write his rank with his name. Like it or not, therefore, if elected as per official protocol his name would (should) appear as “President General Pervez Musharraf (Retd) – President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan” in all official documents and matters.
Incidentally, the retired officers of the defence services - all over the world - can wear uniform with full medals and decorations on occasions like rallies, darbars, national days, reunions, regimental raising days and other military ceremonial occasions. The nation should, therefore, be not surprised to see at times the 'out of uniform' Musharraf still in uniform on such occasions.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Editor: Akhtar M. Faruqui
© 2004 pakistanlink.com . All Rights Reserved.