WORLDWIDE, it is heads of state who have military secretaries. Pakistan may be the only country where a senior army officer sits and moves around the elected prime minister.

This wrong precedent found its way when President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on being elected prime minister took his military secretary with him to the prime minister office.

Since then, the prime ministers have continued to enjoy the privilege unchecked.

How can political users justify this? While the army may not suggest its withdrawal for obvious gains despite losing a good officer in the senior rank, the government needs to show it is cutting down on military dependence. Similarly, the colonels assigned to the provincial governors be also surrendered back to the service.

Haroon Pasha
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2017