Huge Embarrassment for Pakistan as Army Chief Asim Munir Asked for ID in Germany

New Delhi: An incident involving Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir during an international security conference held in Munich city of Germany suddenly caught the attention of the global media. During the security check at the entrance of the conference venue, he was asked to show his identity card, after which he was stopped for some time. This entire incident was captured on the cameras present there and within no time it went viral on social media. The incident may have lasted for a few minutes, but since it was a case involving a top military officer on the international stage, it sparked widespread discussion.

Where did the incident happen?

The incident came to light during a major international security conference going on in Munich. This conference is attended by military officers, diplomats and senior people associated with policymaking from all over the world. Tight security arrangements were made at the venue and the identity of every delegate was being checked before entry. As part of this regular procedure, when General Asim Munir reached there, the security personnel asked him to show his identity card.

What happens if the identity card is not shown?

According to sources, at that time General Asim Munir did not have the identity card immediately available. Due to this, the security personnel stopped them from moving forward and started the process of identity verification. This situation continued for some time, but there was no news of any argument or discomfort. After the investigation was completed, he was allowed to enter the conference.

Was this part of normal security procedure?

The security standards at international security conferences are extremely stringent. Experts say that in such events, the same rules apply to all participants irrespective of position or rank. Checking of identity cards is considered part of the same standard procedure. Many experts are seeing this as a normal security arrangement instead of considering it as an extraordinary incident.

Why did the video go viral on social media?

The video of the incident spread rapidly as soon as it appeared on social media. This video of a few seconds gave rise to a variety of reactions. Many people called it an example of security strictness, while some saw it as the treatment meted out to Pakistan's top military officer. The matter became more discussed after the video went viral.

What were the reactions to this incident in Pakistan?

Different reactions were seen regarding this incident in Pakistan. Some people called it insulting to the country's army chief, while many people considered it a normal procedure and asked not to make much of it. Heated discussions on this issue were also seen in social media and TV debates.

What explanation did the organizers and the official side give?

Organizers associated with the conference said that this was a completely routine security check. They say that no participant is allowed entry without identity verification. Pakistani military officials also said that this matter is related to a technical process and indicated that it should not be exaggerated.

Can this incident have a diplomatic impact?

Experts on diplomatic affairs believe that such incidents are usually limited to immediate discussions. Unless a formal complaint or dispute arises, they are unlikely to have any long-term impact. In this case too, the conference programs continued as normal and General Asim Munir participated in his scheduled meetings.

What signals do we get from this whole incident?

This incident in Munich shows how strict the security rules are at international forums and how officials of any level have to go through them. This process may have come into the limelight for a few moments, but despite this the objective and agenda of the conference continued to move ahead without any interruption.