In Pakistan, Growing Concern Over Tensions Between Military And Civilian Leaders
When the Pakistani interior minister went to attend a controversial court hearing on Oct. 2, the paramilitary force securing the area blocked him from entering. When he demanded to speak to a higher-up, he was told to wait.
The minister, Ahsan Iqbal, is the nominal boss of that paramilitary force.
In another country, it might just have been an embarrassing incident, a mistake by a soldier who did not recognize a top official. In Pakistan, many — including Iqbal himself — saw it as an act of rebellion.
"I cannot be a puppet interior minister," Iqbal raged after the incident, . "Two states cannot function within one state."
