UNFORTUNATELY, as usual some so-called liberal pseudo intellectuals, sponsored constitutional experts and greedy media anchors are intentionally polluting the real cause of the 27th Amendment in the country.
Nothing is stagnation, every segment of the society is passing through an evolutionary phase. The rapidly changing socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic scenarios in the region and beyond stress to take adaptive measures to protect the best interest of the country in terms of economic self-reliance, national resistance in case of any external aggression, sovereignty, territorial integrity, political stability and social harmony.
Hence complexity of the development, deterrence, dialogue and diplomacy’s conceptual and contextual models emphasize radical changes in the style of governance, judiciary, executive and last but not least defence. It seems that unnecessary criticism of the 27th Constitutional is going on in the international media as well as in English newspapers in the country. It is all about modernization and creating a balance among the different stakeholders of the state and its functionaries. It is not about concentration of power rather aiming to modernize defence management in line with global military models. Thus it eliminates duplication and improves strategic coordination among the defence forces of Pakistan.
Obviously, it vividly reflects the changing character of warfare, hybrid, multi-domain and “AI Plus” warfare needs rapid decision cycles to respond and protect national interests in the time of external aggression and attack. It appears that the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) post has remained unproductive and ceremonial since its inception in the country. However, the proposed new Commander of Defence Forces (CDF) will create unity of command and clear “accountability” enhancing operational and tactical readiness and professionalism in the defence forces of Pakistan.
It will replace the advisory role of the CJCSC with a position that holds direct authority over joint operations and strategic planning. The CDF will be responsible for integrating all branches of the military, ensuring coordinated responses to security issues by streamlining decision-making processes. So in terms of “international project management sciences” it will remove all hurdles for a smooth and easy sailing of unity of command achieving the desired goals. Moreover, it is not institutional capture rather it is institutional clarity. Despite false and fake propaganda, the army, navy and air force will retain complete operational autonomy in their respective domains ensuring coordinated response in crisis and reducing bureaucratic overlapping.
Obviously the proposal to create a new Strategic Forces Command to manage strategic or nuclear assets will further consolidating military leadership under the CDF enhancing operational efficiency and align Pakistan’s military with international standards, such as those followed by the United States, Canada and other NATO members, where unified command structures are the norm for joint operations. These will be appointed by the incumbent Prime Minister ensuring civilian supremacy. The role of CDF would be within a permanent institution that drives joint planning, standardizes hardware and manages cross-service concerns (e.g., cybersecurity). Evidently, each service chief retains full control over promotions, postings and administration. The CDF role will confine only to strategic integration not personnel management and high claims about morale or loss of autonomy are totally misleading. Additionally, five-star rank seems to be honorary and exceptional and perpetual authority which has been provided for ceremonial recognition during extraordinary national circumstances.
The Prime Minister will remain the appointing authority for all service chiefs and the CDF, keeping civilian command under Article 243 fully intact. The amendment formalizes existing practices without altering the balance of power, aiming instead to improve efficiency, responsiveness, unity of command, mission accuracy and strategic coherence. It removes long-standing ambiguity in the command structure and will positively impact defence response, deterrence and modernization by ensuring coordination, accountability and streamlined operations rather than power centralization. Therefore, political maneuverings of opposition parties, especially PTI, lack justification because the amendment focuses on national security, modernization of the defence forces, integration of operational structures and coordinated tactical management in which personalities play secondary roles. A critical analysis shows that Pakistan’s geography, security doctrine, constant threat environment and the defence forces’ historic role during crises make the appointment of an army chief as CDF a logical choice, provided the autonomy and expertise of the air force and navy remain preserved.
Moreover, Pakistan’s strategic topography is prodigiously continental and population-centric which urgently needs an integrative and interactive command promoting a joint force without diluting the roles of other services. Interestingly, many classical military theories uphold integrated CDF. Former Russian general and military theorist Carl von Clausewitz dubbed that unity of command reduces friction, shortens decision cycles and ensures campaigns are synchronized with policy objectives. Thus CDF has a strategic value addition. On the other hand, a Swiss-French general and military theorist Antoine-Henri Jomini advocated concentration of force on decisive points and interior lines, favouring unity of command which is suitable for Pakistan’s context.
In summary, the Commander of the Defense Force would be a value addition in the country for further enhancing defence forces coordination, professional capacities and tactical capabilities in the days to come. The rapidly changing geopolitical and geostrategic trends in the region and beyond supports “institutionalization” of the CDF in the country which is confronting two fronts, further aggravating with recent surge in terrorism in the country. The writer is of the opinion that Pakistan’s threat environment, border management, counter-terrorism, urban security in the Indus corridor, gray-zone pressures along the Line of Control and insurgencies manifest primarily on land supports intelligence, precision fires, air mobility and maritime interdiction thus CDF is the need of hour.
—The writer is President, the Centre for Knowledge and Public Policy, Regional Expert: China, CPEC, BRI & World Affairs.
