Pakistan and America relationship

On 20 October 1947, two months and six days after

the independence of Pakistan through the partition of British India,
the United States became one of the first nations to establish
relations with Pakistan. The relations are a very important factor
in the United States government's overall policy in South and
Central Asia as well as Eastern Europe.
The relationship between the two nations, however, has been
described as "roller coaster" given by the characterization of close
coordination and lows marked by deep bilateral estrangement.
[1]
 From 1948 to 2016, the United States has provided nearly
US$78.3 billion (adjusted to 2016 value of dollar) to Pakistan in
grants annually in forms of military aid. Of these aid and funds
arrangement, Pakistan was obligated to spend these monetary
funds by purchasing American goods, food, and other services. In
spite of China being the largest importer and exporter for
Pakistan's market, the United States continues to be one of the
largest sources of foreign direct investment in Pakistan and is
Pakistan's largest export market.[] With U.S. military assistance
suspended in 2018 and civilian aid reduced to about $300 million
for 2022, Pakistani authorities have turned to other countries for
help. From 1979 to 1989, the United States and Pakistan
cooperated in the funding and financing of the Afghan
Mujahedeen who engaged the Soviet Union in the Soviet-Afghan
War, with their relations taking a deep dive with the introduction of
a unilateral military embargo by the United States over the covert
development of nuclear weapons, which Pakistani administrators
saw as the only way to defend the nation in light of India's larger
military conventional attack in 1990. With sanctions waived in
1994 with Pakistan's willingness to participate with the United
States in the wars in Somalia and Bosnia, the United States again
suspended aid and imposed sanctions along with India in 1998,
only to be lifted once again with the  .
Factors involving in the contingency operations, distrust, and
different priorities of both nations in the Afghan War led to serious
criticism as both sides began to criticize each other's strategy to
achieve common goals in the War on Terror. The American
politicians at the U.S. Congress publicly accused Pakistan of
harboring of Osama Bin Laden, Afghan Talibans and their "Quetta
Shura" while the lawmakers in the Pakistani Parliament leveled
serious accusations at the Americans doing very little to control
the porous eastern border of Afghanistan, where Pakistan's most-
wanted terrorist, Mullah Fazlullah and his organization were
believed to be hiding. Furthermore, drone strikes by both nations,
a friendly fire incident at Salala, and an incident involving the
arrest of a spy in Lahore further complicated relations. These
issues sharply soured the public opinion in both nations, with
public opinion of each nation ranking the other as one of the least
favored countries in 2013. The United States continues to blame
Pakistan’s military for supporting non-state actors, including the
Taliban.
As of 2014, 59% of Pakistanis consider the United States to be an
enemy, reduced from 74% in 2012. The Pakistanis have the least
favorable view of US compared with 39 countries in the world
surveyed by Pew. US favorability has ranged between 23 (2005)
to 10 (2002) during 1999–2013). A Gallup poll showed that more
than 72% of Pakistanis thought the United States was an enemy
rather than a friend of Pakistan.
1947–1958: Relations between the United States and the
newly-independent state[edit]
Following Pakistan's creation from the British Indian Empire, the
nascent state struggled to position itself as a non-aligned member
of the international community. Pakistan's pro-communist
forces commanded considerable support in East Pakistan, while
in West Pakistan, the pro-Soviet Pakistan Socialist
Party remained largely marginalized. The capitalist and pro-
American Pakistan Muslim League dominated much of West
Pakistan's political landscape, particularly in the prosperous
region of Punjab, while its base of support in East Pakistan was
far more modest.
Prime Minister Liaquat Ali Khan, however, attempted to establish
friendly relations with both the Soviet Union and the United States
in hopes that Pakistan could benefit from an alliance with both
superpowers. Both the Military of Pakistan and Foreign Service of
Pakistan raised doubts as to whether the Soviets had the political
will and capacity to provide military, technical, and economic aid
to a similar degree that they had begun to offer to Pakistan's
socialist neighbor, India Pakistan nevertheless requested military
aid from the USSR, which was predictably rebuffed as the Soviet
Union had previously oriented itself with India.] The government's
overtures to the Soviet Union were not favorably regarded by
Pakistan's conservative middle classes, who regarded the USSR
as an atheist and socialist ally of India.
In 1950, the United States extended an overture to Pakistan by
inviting Prime Minister Khan for an official state visit. As the USSR
had rebuffed capitalist Pakistan and aligned itself with Pakistan's
rivals, the country's policy crafters found that maintaining friendly
relations with both superpowers was impossible. Prime Minister
Khan accepted the American invitation and paid an official 23-day
state visit to the United States beginning on May 3, 1950. The
event was highly politicized in Pakistan, and outraged the
country's leftists, and was seen as the seminal event that leads to
warm diplomatic ties for several decades. However, it is alleged
that during PM Khan's first visit to the US, president Truman
requested Pakistan's premier to let the CIA formulate a base in
Pakistan, strictly to keep an eye on the activities of Soviet Union –
a request which was not granted by Khan.[
Throughout the period between 1950 and 1953, several major
Pakistan political and military figures paid visits to the United
States. During this time, Army commander Ayub Khan paid visits
to the United States – a figure who would later institute a strongly
pro-American military dictatorship. Foreign Minister Sir
Muhammad Zafrullah Khan, Foreign Secretary Ikram-Ullah
Khan, Finance Minister Malik Ghulam Muhammad, and Defense
Secretary Islander Mirza all paid official state visits to the United
States.

Defense ties between the two countries strengthened almost

immediately following Khan's visit to the United States. Personal
goodwill towards Pakistan was evident even when Liaqat Ali Khan
was assassinated in 1951. Under the government of Khawaja
Nazimuddin, Pakistani and American officials developed positive
attitudes towards one another. Such personal goodwill was
evident when Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, while arguing
for wheat aid to Pakistan in 1953, told the sub-committee on
Agriculture and Forestry during hearings that, "the people of
Pakistan had a splendid military tradition," and that in Karachi he
had been met by a guard of honour which was the "finest" he had
ever seen".[] Close ties between the countries were further
consolidated by a mutual defense treaty signed in May 1954, after
which hundreds of Pakistani military officers began to regularly
train in the United States A U.S. Military Assistance Advisory
Group (MAAG) was also established in Rawalpindi, then capital of
Pakistan. Pakistani officers were not only trained in military
tactics, but also taught leadership, management, and economic
theory.
In 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower requested permission from
Pakistan's new Prime Minister , Huseyn Suhravardie, to lease
the Peshawar Air Station (PAS), which was to be used in
intelligence gathering of Soviet intercontinental ballistic
missiles. The request was granted, and soon the United States
built an airstrip, command and control station at the site before
initiating operations.] The base was regarded as top-secret, and
even the high-ranking Pakistani public officials such as Zulfikar Ali
Bhutto, were refused entry to the facility.
American interest in Pakistan as an ally against the spread of
communism primarily was focused on maintaining excellent ties
with Pakistan's military establishment. Prime Minister Huseyn
Suhrawardy paid several official visits to the United States –
typically with his Army commander, Ayub Khan, at his side After
a military coup d'état in 1958, Ayub Khan argued that left wing
activists could seize power in Pakistan, thereby jeopardizing
American interests in the region. He successfully convinced
American officials that the Pakistani military was the strongest
and most capable institution to govern the country
1958–1971: relations during the military dictatorships of
Ayub Khan and Yahya Khan[

During the dictatorship of Ayub Khan, Pakistan enjoyed a close

relationship with the United States. Ayub Khan was strongly pro-
American, and on a visit the United States in 1954, before Khan
was head of state, 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 view of the United States had remained
positive by the time he seized power. In fact, during the 1960s,
Pakistan's population was generally pro-American and held a
similarly positive view of the United States.
In 1960, Ayub Khan granted permission for the United States to
fly its first spy missions to the Soviet Union from the Peshawar Air
Base, which had been recently upgraded with American funds. In
May 1960, the U-2 incident took place, in which pilot Gary
Powers was captured by the USSR The CIA notified Ayub Khan
of the incident while he was in London for a state visit: he
reportedly shrugged his shoulders and stated that he had
expected such an incident would eventually happen.[
In 1961, Khan paid his first visit to the United States as head of
state. American goodwill towards Khan was evident by an
elaborate state dinner held at Mount Vernon, and a ticker tape
parade for Khan in New York City.[
American military aide was concentrated in West Pakistan, with
economic benefits were controlled by and almost exclusively used
by West Pakistan.] East Pakistani anger towards an absence of
economic development was directed towards the United States,
as well as West Pakistan. The East-Pakistan parliament passed a
resolution denouncing the 1954 military pact with the United
States
Economic aid to Pakistan was further increased by the United
States through the consortium companies West Pakistan's high
rate of economic growth during this time period brought wide
regard to Pakistan as a model of successful implementation
of capitalism in a developing country; in 1964, GDP growth was
9.38%.
In August 1965, Pakistan, under the leadership of Ayub Khan,
launched the so-called Operation Gibraltar against India, which
escalated to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, with results favoring
India. Economic growth in 1965 was a mere 0.88%. The economy
rapidly rebounded with a GDP growth of 2.32% in 1966, and
9.79% in 1969. However, given the huge economic cost of the
war without any clear victory (or loss), Khan surrendered his
presidential powers to Army Commander General Yahya
Khan (no relation) in 1969
American President Lyndon Johnson cultivated warm personal
relations with Indian and Pakistani leaders, This policy had
unintended negative consequences. Since 1954, the American
alliance with Pakistan caused India to move closer to the Soviet
Union. Johnson hoped that a more evenhanded policy towards
both countries would soften the tensions in South Asia, and bring
both nations closer to the United States. With a major presence
already in Vietnam, Johnson ended the traditional American
division of South Asia into 'allies' and 'neutrals'. He had a plan to
develop good relations with both India and Pakistan, supplying
arms and money to both, and to maintain neutrality from their
intense border feuds. The result was that his even-handedness
pushed Pakistan closer to Communist China and India closer to
the Soviet Union.
n, Pakistan also hosts one of the largest and most housed
embassies of the United States in Islamabad, and the largest
consulate-general, in terms of both personnel and facilities, that is
located in the city of Karachi.