ISLAMABAD, March 31: All army officials deputed in civil departments on Wednesday stopped wearing uniform, a GHQ notification said.

The army personnel have put off their uniforms under an order of general headquarters (GHQ) pertaining to Army Dress Regulations, 1989 (Rule 4h). Under such order, they have to stop wearing their uniforms from March 31.

When contacted, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) director-general Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan confirmed that the orders had come into force from Wednesday. "The order has not been cancelled, therefore, it has to be implemented on the prescribed date," he added.

With the implementation of the order army personnel in civil departments have stopped displaying car flags, stars and army number plates on their vehicles unless attending state and ceremonial functions.

However, army officials working with National Accountability Bureau (NAB) can wear uniform, display army flags, stars and number plates on their vehicles. The uniform of Gen Pervez Musharraf has also become controversial since his election to the office of the president.

He has, however, promised to shed his uniform by December 31. According to a report of the Establishment Division about 1,027 military officers have been inducted on civilian posts in different ministries, divisions and Pakistani missions abroad after October 12, 1999 military takeover.

They included 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.

The range of fields where military officers are working on civilian posts encompasses every sector of human endeavour 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.

Talking to Dawn some officials in civil organizations were of the view that army officials working in civil departments on secondment basis would definitely lose their "psychological dominance" over civil servants and general public.