Pakistan came into existence on 14th August 1947 as a result of the Muslims’ struggle for their separate and independent homeland. It was established as a Dominion of Pakistan within the British Commonwealth, as the subcontinent was a colony of the British at that time. On the very same day of its establishment, the US President, Harry S. Truman, sent a message to Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan, calling him the originator of the dream that became Pakistan.[1] Thus, the US became one of the first two nations to recognize Pakistan immediately after its creation. The President further elaborated, “The American people anticipate a long history of close and cordial relations with your country. We rejoice with you in the prospect for rapid progress towards the advancement of the welfare of the people of Pakistan”[2] (Ali & Anwar, 2023, pp. 4661-4662). In response, Quaid-e-Azam, in his address to the Constituent Assembly in Karachi, said, “I wish to express our thanks to some of the messages of goodwill and friendship that have reached me. The first one is from President Truman on behalf of their great American nation.”[3] Pakistan established its embassy in Washington D.C., which is supported by four consulates placed in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston. The US operates one of the largest diplomatic missions in Pakistan, featuring an embassy in Islamabad and consulates in Karachi, Lahore, and Peshawar.
Pakistan has always enjoyed its geostrategic position as it is located at the intersection of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, which contributes to its significance for US. It provides Central Asian landlocked republics with the shortest route to warm waters and offers China economical trade routes. During the Cold War, Pakistan was a buffer zone between the USSR and India. In light of its political, ideological, geographic, economic, and strategic significance, it has maintained its importance in US relations.
The US-Pakistan relationship has experienced various phases since 1947. In its early stage, Pakistan was assessing the response to its goodwill and friendly messages extended to the world. The following statement corroborates this fact: “Our foreign policy is one of friendliness and goodwill towards the nations of the world. We do not cherish aggressive designs against any country or nation. We believe in the principle of honesty and fair play in national and international dealings and are prepared to make our utmost contribution to the promotion of peace and prosperity among the nations of the world. Pakistan will never be found lacking in extending its material and moral support to the oppressed and suppressed people of the world, and in upholding the principles of the United Nations Charter”[4] (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1948, February).
The early phase is characterized by its non-aligned and friendly policy towards all countries, including America. Pakistan maintained bilateral relations and remained non-aligned and independent in its cyclical relations with the US until 1979 (Bashir, 2015). The year is characterized by two important events: the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan and Iran’s Islamic Revolution. India’s pro Soviet policies during the Cold War drew America closer to Pakistan. India was aligned with the Soviet Union, which contributed to strengthening the US relations with Pakistan, gaining military and economic aid, and establishing relations of interdependence leading to cooperation (Khan et al, 2017).
After the demise of the bipolar world and the emergence of a unipolar world, Pakistan fought the battle for the US to curb the Mujahideen and guerrillas in Afghanistan. During this proxy war, Pakistan had a relationship of dependency primarily driven by its security considerations and economic interests. However, after 9/11, a new phase of US-Pakistan relations started, characterized by misperceptions, distrust, and diverging interests. In this phase, the Pak-US relationship has gone through many stages, experiencing closeness and tension, trust and distrust, collaborations and coercions, divergence and convergence. After the US coalition forces left Afghanistan in 2021, America is now less dependent on Pakistan for counterterrorism efforts (Hussain, 2021, June 2)[5]. In the post-COVID-19 era, Pakistan is facing economic challenges along with political uncertainties and a lack of public trust in the government.
It is also interesting that the websites of both countries, the US Embassy and Consulate[6], and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs[7] of Pakistan, claim to have bilateral relations of cooperation. However, it is a reality that by being a superpower, the US wields enormous influence in determining relations with Pakistan. Pakistan experiences a relationship of dependency due to its economic insecurity and political instability, as shown in editorials regarding Pakistan in The New York Times and The Washington Post[8] (Naseer, 2020).
References
Ahmar, M. (2021). Changing dynamics of Pakistan-US relations and the challenge of soft power. Accessed from https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/114516/
Akhtar, S. (2012). Dynamics of USA-Pakistan relations in the post 9/11 period: Hurdles and future prospects. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2(11), 205-213.
Ali, I., & Anwar, M. F. (2023). Pak-US Relations: An Overview in Historical Perspective (1947-2021). Pakistan Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 11(4), 4659-4673.
Bashir, F. (2015). PAK-US MILITARY ALLIANCES AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS ON PAKISTAN’S DOMESTIC POLITICS & FOREIGN RELATIONS (1954-2010).
Javaid, U., & Mushtaq, I. (2014). Historical perspective of Pakistan USA relations; lessons for Pakistan. South Asian Studies, 29(01), 291-304.
Naseer, H., & Khan, A. W. (2020). Portrayal of Pakistan in USA Print Media. Pakistan Social Sciences Review, 4, 221-33.
Khan, A., Ahmad, A., & Dadda, A. A. (2017). Pak-US Relations: Understanding of the Misunderstandings. Global Social Science Review, 2(2), 1-23.
Kronstadt, K. A. (2012). Pakistan-US relations. Washington, DC: Congressional Research Service.
[1] US Embassy & Consulates in Pakistan. Retrieved from https://pk.usembassy.gov/policy-history/
[2] US Embassy & Consulates in Pakistan, u. (2017, August 17). Ambassador’s Hale’s Remarks at
the PUAN Islamabad-Rawalpindi Chapter Reunion. Retrieved from https://pk.usembassy.gov/puan-reunion/#:~:text=In%20an%20August%2014%2C%201947,cordial%20relations%20with%20your%20country
[3] The Royal Watcher: Pakistan Independence Ceremony 1947 Retrieved from https://royalwatcherblog.com/2022/08/14/pakistan-independence-ceremony-1947/
[4] Jinnah’s Vision of Pakistan. Retrieved from https://www.nazariapak.info/Quaid-e-Azam/Jinnah-vision.php
[5] Zahid Hussain (June 02, 2021) Redefining Pak-US Relations. Daily the Dawn news retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1627028
[6] https://pk.usembassy.gov/policy-history/
[7] https://mofa.gov.pk/united-states-of-america
[8] Naseer (2020) http://prr.hec.gov.pk/jspui/bitstream/123456789/7760/1/Faiza%20Bashir%20Political%20Science%20final%20thesis%20pdf.pdf