New Delhi, Oct. 25 -- The appointment of nine retired senior military officers to Pakistan's diplomatic missions abroad is unlikely to be dismissed as a routine administrative decision. The disclosure by Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar in the Senate has brought into focus a familiar question about Pakistan's power structure: where does the authority of the civilian government end and where does the military establishment begin?

The appointments include former army generals, an air marshal and a vice admiral among 17 non-career ambassadors and high commissioners. Their proposed postings span the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia. The geographical spread matters. This is not simply a case of one or two retired officers being entrust...