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=== 1958–1971: relations during the military dictatorships of Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan === | === 1958–1971: relations during the military dictatorships of Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan === | ||
Under Ayub Khan's leadership, Pakistan established a strong alliance with the United States. Ayub Khan was an ardent supporter of American interests, and during a visit to the U.S. in 1954, prior to assuming the presidency, he famously told American Brigadier-General Henry A. Byroade, "I didn't come here to look at barracks. Our army can be your army if you want us. But let's make a decision." His positive perception of the United States remained intact when he took power. Throughout the 1960s, the general sentiment among Pakistan's population was pro-American, reflecting a favorable view of the U.S. | |||
In 1960, Ayub Khan authorized the United States to conduct its first espionage missions over the Soviet Union from the Peshawar Air Base, which had recently been upgraded with American financial aid. In May of that year, the U-2 incident occurred when pilot Gary Powers was captured by the USSR. The CIA informed Ayub Khan about the incident while he was on a state visit in London; he reportedly shrugged it off, indicating that he had anticipated such an event would eventually occur. | |||
In 1961, Khan made his inaugural visit to the United States as the head of state. The goodwill extended towards him by the Americans was clearly demonstrated through an extravagant state dinner at Mount Vernon and a ticker tape parade held in his honor in New York City. | |||
American military assistance was primarily focused on West Pakistan, with economic benefits similarly concentrated there and predominantly utilized by West Pakistan. This led to growing resentment in [[East Pakistan]], where the lack of economic development was directed not only towards the United States but also towards their counterparts in [[West Pakistan]]. In response to these grievances, the East Pakistan parliament passed a resolution condemning the 1954 military pact with the United States. | |||
The United States further augmented economic aid to Pakistan via consortium companies. During this period, West Pakistan experienced a remarkable rate of economic growth, earning the country recognition as a successful example of capitalism in a developing nation. In 1964, the GDP growth rate reached an impressive 9.38%. | |||
In 1962, relations between Pakistan and the United States began to deteriorate. Following India's significant defeat in the Sino-Indian War, the U.S. provided arms to India without notifying Pakistan or addressing its concerns that these weapons could be used against it. Ayub Khan was particularly disheartened that Pakistan's decision to refrain from exploiting India's vulnerabilities during the conflict with China did not lead to substantial U.S. efforts to negotiate a resolution to the Kashmir dispute. | |||
Believing that diplomatic avenues would not yield favorable outcomes for Pakistan, the country initiated [[Operation Gibraltar]] against India, which escalated into the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. The war resulted in a stalemate, and economic growth in 1965 plummeted to just 0.88%. However, the economy quickly recovered, achieving a GDP growth rate of 2.32% in 1966 and 9.79% in 1969. Despite this rebound, the immense economic toll of the war, coupled with the absence of a decisive victory, led Khan to relinquish his presidential powers to army commander Yahya Khan (who was not related) in 1969. | |||
== Space science collaboration == | == Space science collaboration == | ||