Constructed on an accelerated schedule in 1972, the JS HQ, which also includes the post of Army GHQ, serves as a principle headquarters of the Pakistan Armed Forces with concerns relating to higher direction of war, operational planning, and deterrence developments.

: 180 [2] The Pakistani troops and sailors deployed in the Eastern Command and the Western formations had fought Indian Armed Forces without the mission clarity and without the ground, air, and sea line of strategic communication.

: 41 [2] The War Enquiry Commission was very critical of the performance of the military from 1947–71, and stressed it on a singular command structure to provide combat synergy between nation's each armed service.

: 145 [3] In 1976, the bureaucratic structure was modeled and build in an accelerated schedule by establishing the JS HQ, which was set up to improve coordination, command, and communication between the branches of the Pakistan Armed Forces.

: 47 [1]: 331–332 [5] In 1984—86, many of the Army GHQ's directorates, mainly the weapon system procurement, deployments, weapon selections, and overall mission preparedness and execution of the military operations, were transferred to the JS HQ in light of recommendations provided by the War Enquiry Commission (1975) and the Packard Commission (1985).