THE post of the chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) was created on the recommendations of Hamoodur Rahman Commission report for better strategic coordination at the highest level.

This four-star post was to be rotated amongst the three services. However, since its inception in 1976, only two admirals and one air chief marshal have been appointed to this post for its three-year term over the last 46 years.

The admirals and the air chief marshals are just as competent as the generals because they go through the same training, education and exposure at the highest command levels. There has been no rotation among the armed forces in the last 25 years, starting November 1997, as the said office has literally become an army post, which was never the intention.

This rotational policy is followed in several other countries where such posts exist. If we are to follow the true spirit behind the creation of the post, the government must review the policy and take corrective action.

Air-Cdr (retd) Ayaz Hussain Tiwana
Lahore

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2022