The military may not officially be in power in Pakistan, but when Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is on the move, senior Cabinet ministers have to park their cars on the roadside like ordinary citizens.
Law minister Babar Awan, considered close to President Asif Ali Zardari, faced this embarrassment Monday night soon after a colleague, food minister Nazar Mohammad Gondal, was forced by soldiers to wait at a square near Parliament. When the law minister tried to ignore the stop order, soldiers pointed guns at his car and he had no choice but to get off the road.
The soldiers were clearing the way for Gen. Kayani to drive to the presidential residence to discuss with Mr Zardari the impact of US President Barack Obama’s visit to India. Army commandos are always deployed for Gen. Kayani’s security, a privilege not available to the President or Prime Minister. Acting National Assembly Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday directed the government to investigate Monday night’s Democracy Square incident. He noted that soldiers had pointed guns at cars bearing the Pakistani flag, terming it an “insult to Parliament”. The Opposition too was up in arms and sought action against the soldiers responsible.