The Defence Ministry today said there has been no down-grading or any change in the existing equivalence of the Service ranks whatsoever.<br/><br/>The Ministry's statement came following media reports claiming that the government has issued a new order lowering the status of military officers with respect to their civilian counterparts in the Armed Forces Headquarters.<br/><br/>The existing functional equivalence as clarified in previous orders only been re-affirmed. The Defence Ministry further clarified that the present reiteration of rank equivalence, is only for matters of assigning duties and functional responsibilities as is already existing in different offices of the respective Service Headquarters.<br/><br/>The Ministry reiterated that there is no change in the rank structure or the status of the Armed Forces personnel.