LONDON: A sweeping ban has been slammed on Army chiefs of Commonealth countries by Britain’s Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Gen Sir Richard Hull has ruled that none of them can be allowed at future British Army get-togethers. Reason: some Commonwealth countries are now too much of a security risk to be let into Britain’s military secrets.

So the C.I.G.S.’ first annual conference at the Staff College in August will be ‘British officers only’— the first time it would not be attended by Commonwealth representatives. Even countries like Australia and Canada are banned, for the British Government has had to make a complete ‘lockout’ so as to avoid the appearance of discriminating against any particular country.

After last year’s C.I.G.S. conference, Defence chiefs in Whitehall confessed that the presence of Ghana, Ceylon and India prohibited any active discussion on plans and problems affecting the British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand armies. — Dawn-Express Service

Decentralisation comes into force

KARACHI: Countrywide administrative reorganisation, as envisaged in the new Constitution to give more autonomy to the province, came into effect yesterday with the commencement of the new fiscal year.— Agencies