RAWALPINDI: The Government today [July 4] issued a Press Note clarifying reports about facilities allowed to the ex-President Ayub Khan: “Statements have recently appeared in the Press which give the erroneous impression that the Government has decided to reinstate the ex-President Mohammad Ayub Khan as Field Marshal. Some comments have also appeared on the political implications of this imaginary decision. It is, therefore, hereby clarified that at no time since the present Government assumed the responsibility for administering the country has any question of the reinstatement of the ex-President as Field Marshal been even under consideration. …

“Whenever a Governor-General or President has in the past gone out of office, Government has considered the question of privileges and facilities to be allowed to him. In accordance with the practice, the question of allowing some facilities to the last President was considered by the Government in July I969. It was then decided that he may be given some skeleton staff as is customary in most countries of the world. Furthermore it may be mentioned that the ex-President has not availed of most of these facilities. It is the grant of this minor facility that seems to have given rise to wild speculations which it is hoped will now come to an end.” — Agency

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2020