Pak Army Chief Asim Munir Stopped for ID Flip at Munich Security Meet

Viral Moment at Munich: ID Check for a Field Marshal

Field Marshal Munir and his companions arrived in Germany to attend the Munich Security Conference. A video of the security officer requesting that the Pakistani army chief keep his identity card visible in the front has gone viral. Approaching the entrance to the conference, the security officer tapped on his name badge, pointing to the ID card hanging down from his neck and saying, "Can you turn that around?" 

There was no apparent fighting. The request seemed procedural. But the optics of a serving army chief being stopped for badge presence at a global security forum helped turn the little exchange into a talking point. 

JSMM Protests Munir's High-Profile Invite

Sindhi political organisation the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) opposed Field Marshal Munir's participation in the Munich Security Conference, calling the invitation "deeply regrettable," and urged foreign stakeholders to take note.
JSMM members protested outside the venue, focusing attention on human rights violations in Pakistan. In a statement to the United Nations, the European Union, the German government and the various human rights bodies, JSMM chairman Shafi Burfat described being "in deep shock and regret" by the high-level global forum participation of Field Marshal Munir. 

Munich Conference: Rules Apply to All

The Munich Security Conference is a widely held event for dialogues and the settlement of disputes at an international level and has always been regarded as a gathering forum for world leaders, diplomats and security professionals to address international peace and security problems.
In that grave context the short badge-check was an unexpected reminder of rules in place for the situation where presidents and generals mingle in a crowded conference hall, at least a Field Marshal will have to keep his ID facing forward.