The PM Raja Pervez Ashraf was shown reviewing a guard of honour parade on arrival at the Vientiane airport, capital of Laos, where he has gone to attend the 9th ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting). However, what caught my attention was that his wife, the ‘First Lady’ was also walking along him during the parade. I am not very sure, but is it a practice for the wives of visiting dignitaries to also review the parade along with their husbands? Would the wife even stand along her husband on the saluting dais to receive the General Salute and from where the visiting dignitary starts walking along with the ‘sword holding’ guard commander and two scouts in front to review the guard of honour parade? Could someone more knowledgeable about such protocol comment upon it please?
COL RIAZ JAFRI (r),
Rawalpindi, November 06,