ISLAMABAD, March 18: Army officials deputed in civil departments on secondment basis will stop wearing army uniforms by March 31, 2004, a letter issued from the General Headquarters said.

The Army Dress Regulations 1989 (Rule 4-h) bars army personnel in civil departments from displaying car flags, stars and army number plates on their vehicles unless attending state and ceremonial functions.

The GHQ's orders said only those army officials working with National Accountability Bureau could continue wearing army uniforms and displaying army flags, stars and number plates on their vehicles.

According to an establishment division report, about 1,027 military officers have been inducted on civilian posts in different ministries, divisions and Pakistani missions abroad after the Oct 12, 1999 military takeover.

They include 104 serving and retired lieutenant-generals, major-generals or equivalent ranks from other services, 160 brigadier or officials of equivalent ranks from Navy and Air Force.

Military officers are working on civilian posts in almost all sectors, including communications, education, diplomacy, water and electricity management, information, post office, jails, local bodies, think tanks, industrial production, shipping, minority affairs, population welfare, health, agriculture, railways, highways, housing, labour and manpower, social and women development, law and justice and sub-sectors of sports from cricket to hockey.

The break-up of these military personnel working in civilian departments shows that they occupy 13 posts in the Cabinet Division, 5 posts in the commerce ministry, 98 in Communications ministry, 113 in the Defence Division, 52 in the Defence Production Division, 9 in the Education ministry, 16 in the Establishment Division, 24 in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 6 in the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock.

There are 88 military officers working in the Ministry of Interior, 2 in the Health Ministry, 6 in the Housing and Works Ministry, 29 in the Industries and Production Ministry, 3 in the Information and Broadcasting ministry, 58 in the ministry of Information Technology, 25 in the Kashmir Affairs and Northern Affairs Ministry, five in the Labour and Manpower Division, 17 in the ministry of Minorities Affairs, 39 in the ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, just one each in the ministry of Population Welfare, the Planning and Development Division and the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

There are two military officials working in the Revenue Division (Central Board of Revenue), 21 in the ministry of Science and Technology, 72 in the ministry of Railways/Railway board, 37 in the ministry of Water and Power, 5 in the ministry of Women and Development, 6 in the Wafaqi Mohtasib.