Days after the partial easing of their tensions over a mysterious memo, Pakistan's government and army could be engaged in a fresh standoff over the issue of handing over control of all cantonment boards and military lands across the country to civilians.
The process for appointing a new Director General of the Military Lands and Cantonments Department could trigger a fresh confrontation, The News daily reported on Saturday.
The incumbent, a serving Major General, is set to retire on February 20 and the army apparently wants to retain control of the multi-billion rupee enterprise.
The Defence Ministry has moved a summary or formal proposal to the Prime Minister for appointing another serving officer, Major General Tahir Masood, but the Premier's office appears to be in ‘no mood to accommodate the request,’ the report said.
The Prime Minister's Secretariat has "declared in categorical terms that no summary for appointment of a serving army general to a civilian position will be entertained," it said.
Civilian officials said the post is a ‘purely civilian’ one.
These developments come days after the partial easing of civil-military tensions over a secret memo that sought US help to stave off a feared coup in Pakistan in May last year following the killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in a covert American raid in Abottabad.
The Director General of Military Lands and Cantonments is the head of 43 cantonment boards and military estate offices dealing with 5.5 million civilians.