Pakistan–United States relations
Islamic republic of Pakistan and the United States formed diplomatic relations on 15 August 1947, coinciding with Pakistan's creation. On that day, the United States was among the first countries to officially acknowledge the new nation.
The relationship between Pakistan and the United States has been likened to a "roller coaster," marked by periods of strong cooperation interspersed with significant bilateral tensions. Despite this tumultuous history, the Pakistani military has played a crucial role in American geopolitical strategy and has been recognised as a major non-NATO ally since 2002. Following Pakistan's involvement in the Afghan peace process and the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, many U.S. policymakers are reassessing their country's ties with Pakistan. Concurrently, the strategic alignment between the United States and India has intensified the challenges faced by Pakistani diplomacy.
Background
During the Cold War era (1945–1991), Pakistan aligned itself with the Western Bloc, led by the United States, in opposition to the Eastern Bloc dominated by the Soviet Union, which promoted Socialism as its economic model while Capitalism was championed by the West. After the military coup in Pakistan in 1958, President Muhammad Ayub Khan forged a robust military partnership with the United States. Throughout the Bangladesh Liberation War and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the U.S. provided support to Pakistan against both the Provisional Government of Bangladesh and India. Following Pakistan's defeat, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who held anti-American sentiments, sought to strengthen ties with the Soviet Union. In 1977, Bhutto was ousted in a military coup led by Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.
The dynamics shifted after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, as Pakistan and the United States collaborated to fund and support the anti-communist Afghan Mujahideen during the subsequent First Afghan Civil War. Since 1965, the United States has imposed sanctions on Pakistan multiple times to ensure alignment with its strategic objectives. Relations saw an improvement when Pakistan participated alongside the U.S. in conflicts in Somalia and Bosnia. However, following India’s nuclear tests in 1998, the U.S. once again suspended aid and imposed sanctions, only to restore them following American engagement in Afghanistan in 2001.
Disagreements over strategies in the Afghan War, coupled with mutual distrust and differing priorities, led to significant criticism from both sides regarding their approaches to achieving shared goals in the War on Terror. The United States continues to accuse the Pakistani military of backing non-state actors, including the Taliban. Additionally, incidents such as drone strikes, a friendly fire situation at Salala, and the arrest of a spy in Lahore have further strained relations between the two nations.
External Influences on Pakistan–U.S. Relations
The fraught relationship between the United States and Pakistan continues to deteriorate, compounded by a series of crises. In the early 2010s, allegations surfaced that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was financially incentivising journalists to publish negative articles about the U.S. Nevertheless, both nations remain committed to fostering a cooperative relationship aimed at combating terrorist groups in the War on Terror.
In recent years, however, it can be argued that Islamabad has diminished in strategic importance to the West, especially following the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces from Afghanistan. During the conflict, Pakistan served as a crucial supply route for NATO operations in Afghanistan, which significantly shaped bilateral relations. However, with the conclusion of the war and the exit of American troops in the early 2020s, Pakistan's leverage with the U.S. has waned, as the latter no longer relies on Islamabad for engagement in Afghanistan.
Pakistan's prolonged rivalry and conflict with India, a key strategic partner of the United States, particularly regarding the Kashmir issue, along with its steadfast strategic alliance with China amid the great power competition between the U.S. and China, complicates Pakistan's attempts to enhance its relationship with the United States.
Diaspora
Approximately 5,54,202 individuals of Pakistani descent identify as Pakistani Americans residing in the United States, while around 52,486 Americans live in Pakistan. Furthermore, Pakistan is home to one of the largest U.S. embassies located in Islamabad, alongside the largest consulate-general in terms of staff and facilities, situated in Karachi.
Space science collaboration
In the 1990s, the United States, along with the Missile Technology Control Regime, imposed restrictions on Pakistan's space program due to concerns over the country's purported covert missile development activities. The U.S. had initiated collaboration with Pakistan in peaceful space technology during the 1960s, following the establishment of the Sonmiani Terminal in 1961, which included the construction of an airfield and a launch pad. In 1962, the Space Research Commission successfully launched Rehbar-I, the first solid-fuel rocket, developed in close partnership with NASA. This achievement made Pakistan the first country in the Indian subcontinent and the tenth globally to conduct a rocket launch. Between 1962 and 1972, around 200 rockets were launched from Sonmiani; however, this cooperation diminished after 1972. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the U.S. further tightened its embargo on Pakistan's space development. In 1998, sanctions were placed on DESTO, the country's leading astronautics research organisation. However, these sanctions were lifted in 2001 by the Bush administration.
Public Opinion
The ongoing conflicts have significantly deteriorated public sentiment in both countries, with each viewing the other as one of its least preferred nations. In 2012, merely 10% of Americans reported having trust in Pakistan, while only 12% of Pakistanis held a positive opinion of the United States during the same period. The U.S. also faced low approval ratings across various nations in the Greater Middle East, with figures such as 19% in Egypt, 15% in Turkey, and 12% in Jordan. Furthermore, around 74% of Pakistanis considered the United States to be an adversary.
American foreign policy was particularly unpopular in Pakistan, especially regarding U.S. drone strikes. According to a Pew survey, 74% of Pakistanis felt that these drone strikes resulted in the deaths of few innocent civilians. Additionally, U.S. aid programs were often criticised and perceived as instruments for promoting American interests at the cost of Pakistan's security, undermining so-called democracy, and encouraging corruption. Only 12% of Pakistanis viewed U.S. economic assistance positively, with an even smaller fraction, just 8%, seeing U.S. military aid as beneficial for the country.