HISTORY OF PAKISTAN-US RELATIONS: AN OVERVIEW

Pakistan got independence in the beginning days of cold war, in which world was divided into three
blocs: one was led by America, also known as Capitalist bloc, second was led by USSR, also known as
communist bloc, and the third bloc was NON-ALINGED BLOC, which neither choose American bloc nor
USSR bloc

Pakistan choose American bloc due to various reasons; some of them are following:

1. Many leaders of Pakistan were graduates of western universities, therefore, they had personal
inclination towards them as they were well aware of their culture
2. Economy of Pakistan was struggling, thus, it needed economical support which USA was ready
to provide instantly- Ishrat Hussain, Governing the ungovernable
3. Pakistan needed military support, and In May 1954, USA signed Mutual Defense Assistance
Agreement with Pakistan. Later in that year it became a member of SEATO along with the
United States, Britain, France, Thailand, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. A year later,
Pakistan also joined the Baghdad Pact, another mutual defense organization, with Britain,
Turkey, Iran and Iraq. In 1958, Iraq left the pact and then its name was changed to CENTO; The
Pakistan-American Alliance by Mohammed Ayub Khan in Foreign Affairs
4. Regarding the Kashmir issue, USSR stance was neutral as it wanted to establish its relations with
India, whereas, USA and other western countries were taking some steps in UN to get this issue
resolved peacefully.

In January 1957, Ayub Khan could declare “we are no more short of men and material”

Events which halted Pakistan-USA relations

1. 1965 war between Pakistan and India; America refused to send any military support to
Pakistan, creating anti-American feelings in Pakistan. Pakistan in National and Regional
Change: State and Society in Flux- C. Christine Fair
2. 1971 war between Pakistan and India; American warships were installed in Saudi-Arabia but it
intentionally refused to send for Pakistan help, because Indira Gandhi PM of India visited Israel,
America, and Russia and made sure Pakistan does not get their support
3. 1973 First Constitution of Pakistan and Bhutto tilt towards USSR; Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was a
socialist leader. He tried to make good relations with Russia despite the fact that USA president
Richard Nixon wanted to make good relations with Pakistan. Bhutto also met with Leonid
Brezhnev where Pakistan reached agreements with Soviet Union on mutual trust, cooperation,
technical assistance, and friendship. As a result, Soviet Union established Pakistan Steel Mills in
1972- Pak-Russa Rapprochement: Challenges and Prospects: Evolving Regional
Dynamics- by Almas Haider Naqvi
4. Sanctions on Pakistan by USA In April 1979; the United States suspended most economic
assistance to Pakistan over concerns about Pakistan's atomic bomb project under
the Foreign Assistance Act (1961) of USA
AFGHANISTAN WAR- A TURNING POINT IN PAKISTAN
US RELATIONS (1978-1988) BEST PHASE OF US PAK
RELATIONS
USSR invaded Afghanistan and killed president of Afghanistan HafizUllah amin , known as Strom 33
operation. USSR made his loyal, BARAK KARMAL, the president of Afghanistan

USA was unhappy with that and its image was already tarnished in Vitenam war, thus, it wanted to
defeat USSR in Afghanistan to prove its supremacy and counter USSR. It did that with the help of SA, and
PAKISTAN.

USA-PAK-SA NEXUS in Afghanistan

AMERICA: PROVIDING
WEAPONS + MONEY

PAKISTAN: PROVIDING
SAUDIA ARABIA: TRAINING TO THESE
PROVIDING MONEY AND FIGHTERS AND BASES TO
FIGHTERS ATTACK USSR IN AFG

Why Pakistan joined this nexus?

1. U.S.$2-3 billion worth of covert assistance 

2. To establish pro-Pakistan government in Afghanistan to get Durand line issue resolved
3. Pakistan army sought leverage against the hostile neighbor on its eastern border, India, by giving
Pakistan "strategic depth"-a secure Afghan frontier permitting the concentration of Pakistani
forces on the Indian frontier and economic advantages through stronger political and economic
links to Central Asia
4. Pakistani support for Pashtun parties in Afghanistan helped solidify the position of Pashtuns in
Pakistan's military and civilian elites
The Troubled Triangle: US-Pakistan Relations under the Taliban’s Shadow by Zafar Iqbal
Yousufzai

Post-Afghanistan War: Relations in doldrums

 India conducted 1st nuclear test in 1974 known as smiling buddha test
 Since then, Pakistan had been working on its nuclear capabilities. Following the
Afghanistan war, USA began to put pressure on Pakistan to restrain from achieving
nuclear deterrence in South Asia.
 India in 1998 did 2nd test Pokhran-II, in respond, Pakistan did Chagai-I and Chagai II test.
As a result, USA put sanctions on Pakistan, which impacted USA-PAKISTAN REALTIONS
BADLY
 The relations were also refrained and strained after Nawaz Sharif became involved with Kargil
war with India, while India's relations with Israel and U.S. greatly enhanced

Pakistan-US relations after 9/11

To attack in Afghanistan, USA again needed Pakistan support. Plus, Pervaiz Musharaff also needed USA
support to get its martial law recognized

So, they joined hands again to end terrorist networks in Afghanistan

Factors ensuring good relations between USA-Pak;

1. 25billion $ AID in 2002-2003
2. US forgave $1billion loan as a good gesture
3. Pakistan was declared non-NATO ally by Geroge Bush. This granted Pakistan authority to
purchase strategic and advanced military equipment
4. In 2005, massive earthquake in Pakistan- US provided 510$ million relief and reconstruction
package
5. Musharraf plus George Bush bilateral meeting in 2006, concluding the sale of f-16 aircraft deal
6. Pakistan was using American aid to make its defense strong against India
7. In 2014, Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton stated, “Cooperation with Pakistan led us to bin laden
compound in which he was hiding”

Factors which created ISSUES USA-PAKISTAN REALTIONS;

1. In 2007, US killed 11 paramilitary soldiers of Pakistan along with 9 Taliban in an airstrike. This
created tension between Pakistan and US. Resultantly, USA gave new 7.5billion $ US aid
2. Since 2004, US army launched various drone strikes in North-West side of Pakistan, killing many
innocent civilians. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism found that 423 to 965 civilians were
killed out of a total of 2,497 to 3,999 including 172 to 207 children
 3. In 2004, AQ KHAN confessed of his involvement in supplying nuclear technology to IRAN,
LIBYA, NORTH-KOREAN. As a result, USA put pressure on Pakistan to arrest AQ khan,
who was considered the hero of Pakistan
4. RAYMOND DAVIS, an American citizen, killed two civilians in Lahore. American said that he
was entitled to diplomatic immunity and must be released immediately, thus, he was sent
to America. This led to anti-American sentiments and protest in Pakistan
5. In may 2011, Osama bin laden was captured from Abbottabad. USA blamed Pakistan for
providing him a safe heaven and called Pakistan a terrorist state, halting the relations again
6. In 2012, Pakistan shut down NATO supply route into Afghanistan, following SALALA
INCIDENT
7. In 2017, Donald Trump, accused Pakistan for providing safe heaven to terrorist

The Pakistan-US Conundrum, by Younus samad

CURRENT SITUATION OF US-PAKISTAN RELATIONS-

In doldrums

Causes of Relations in Doldrums

1. America Blaming Pakistan for its failure in Afghanistan;
America believes that Pakistan supported Taliban secretly. It provided Haqqani Network and Quetta Shura
medical and military aid. This point was highlighted by Madhiha Afzal in her articles in Brookings

2. Affords of Pakistan to improve its relations with Russia

 In 2018, Pakistan Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, visited Moscow and signed
various agreements
 In 2018, General Bajwa visited Russia, as a result, Joint Military Commission was formed
 Same year, National security advisor of both countries met in Russia, and Security
Training Agreement-2018 was signed- Moeed Yousuf was the national security advisor
of Pakistan in 2018
 Prime Minister Imran Khan will visit Russia on February 23-24, 2022. He discussed
various issues with Putin, and oil import was one of them.
 It is often alleged that after this visit, USA interfered in internal matters of Pakistan and
toppled Imran khan government- Although, Supreme court has rejected such allegations

3. Pakistan denial on giving military bases to America

After the fall of Kabul, American demanded military bases from Pakistan which Pakistan denied to give.
Speaking to GEO news, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said,

“Imran khan has no intention to give its military bases to Washington”

4. Silence of USA on Humanitarian Violence in Kashmir
 The 43 pages report by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR),
released on July 8, 2019, raises serious concerns about abuses by state security forces and
armed groups in both Indian and Pakistan-held parts of Kashmir. The Indian
government dismissed the report as a “false and motivated narrative” that ignored “the core
issue of cross-border terrorism.” Pakistan welcomed but requested that sections be removed or
amended in which the information was “not specific to Pakistan-Administered Kashmir but were
general human rights concerns affecting all of Pakistan.”
 However, Biden administration has not taken any action against India even after this report

5. Shift in Foreign Policy of Pakistan from Geo-Strategic to Geo-Economic: USA still want
Strategic based relations
Pakistan wants to shift its foreign policy from strategic base to economical base. Pakistan has highlighted
this in NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY 2022, chapter 4. On the other hand, USA is not ready to invest in
Pakistan. It still wants strategic based relations
6. Growing US-INDIA strategic Nexus
India and USA strategic relations have enhanced a lot. They have signed various
agreements such as;
 Basic Exchange and Cooperation Agreement (BECA) will enable both the
countries to share geospatial information on maps and satellites for defence
purposes
 LEMOA or the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement. The agreement
facilitates the military of both countries to use each other's bases for refueling
and replenishment purposes.
 COMCASA or the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement. The
agreement facilitates India to use the United States' encrypted communications
equipment and systems. Indian and the US military commanders, aircraft and
ships can communicate through secure networks in peace and war. 
These agreements are enhanced military power of India as
Henry Kissinger says” Power is the currency of NATIONAL SECURITY”
Thus, this rising power of India with the help of USA is creating mistrust between Pakistan and
USA

7. Changing world order: power shifting from Atlantic to Pacific Region

USA’S hegemony is declining. Its economy has been badly impacted by Covid-19. Other powers
are emerging in the world and most of them are in Pacific region such as CHINA, Japan, India,
and others. This is one of the reasons that Pakistan is more interested in making strong relations
with China rather than with USA. As it will help Pakistan in long term.
8. US concern of Pakistan reliance on China
Pakistan is greatly dependent on China economically especially after CPEC project. USA
wants Pakistan to share CPEC related data with USA. However, Pakistan rejected that
and this added fuel in already deteriorating relation between USA and Pakistan
9. USA undermining Pakistan economic concerns; economic stability through investment
not aid
Pakistan wants USA to invest in Pakistan and establish relation on economic basis, as
highlighted by MOEED YOUSUF in one of his interviews. However, USA wants merely
strategic relation and is not investing greatly in Pakistan.
10. US-CHINA relationship: Us approaches Pakistan thought the lens of Thucydides trap
When an emerging power threatens to displace an existing great power as a regional or
international hegemon, it leads to war between them- Thucydides Trap
USA believes in this theory and wants to counter China strategically using Pakistan,
similar to what it did with USSR in Afghanistan with the help of Pakistan

RECOMMENDATIONS;
1. Broad-base relationship: From traditional security threats to non-traditional
security threats
As USA wants strategic relations with Pakistan, there is need to cooperate in
non-traditional security threats especially those which were highlighted by
BARRY BUZZAN IN HIS ARTICLE “CONCEPT OF SECURITY IN 21TH CENTURY”. It is
because of the fact that non-traditional security threats are hurting the security
of Pakistan as also highlighted in National Security Policy
2. Climate issue: a platform to re-establish diplomatic relations
Climate issues is a kind of issues which no country can resolve in isolation. Thus,
this can be the platform from where Pakistan and USA can restart their
diplomatic relations, and then work to extend these relations to other sectors
3. Quadrilateral relations among PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN-UZBEKISTAN-USA to
make Afghanistan stable
As Afghanistan stability is the deep concern of all these countries, they must
make an organization and work together to bring stability in Afghanistan. This
would also enable Pakistan and USA to improve their bi-lateral relations- also
highlighted by ZAHID HUSSAIN IN HIS BOOK NO-WIN WAR
4. Reviving trust by stop using financial institutions to pressurize Pakistan
Many scholars have alleged that USA is using international institutions such as
IMF and FATF to pressurize Pakistan. Therefore, in order to re-establish relations,
USA must not use them as a tool to create instability in Pakistan. USA must give
some relief to Pakistan, and this would also help in reviving trust
The United States has been threatening to get tough with Islamabad over its alleged ties
with Islamist militants, and President Donald Trump’s administration suspended aid
worth about $2 billion.
In 2018, United States put forward a motion to place Pakistan on a global terrorist-
financing watchlist with an anti-money-laundering monitoring group.
 Even under Biden Administration, IMF has been used to put pressure on Pakistan
5. USA needs to stop looking at Pakistan through China lens
As Pakistan does not see USA from Chinese lens, it is essential that USA must
stop establishing relations with Pakistan to counter China.
6. USA must set clear direction viz-a-viz USA-China relationship
USA still has not set any clear policy regarding China using Pakistan. If USA wants
to counter China’s influence then it must do that by investing in Pakistan and
South Asia even more than China’s investment in BRI project
7. Need for continued engagement: essential for US interests in US-CHINA
strategic competition
Nonetheless, USA needs Pakistan the most. If it wants to contain China, for USA
the best opportunity will be Pakistan. It is because of the fact that Pakistan and
USA have been cooperating for long and they are well aware of each other
psyche