Pakistan and USA

 

Pakistan and USA

 

      After the establishment of an independent country Pakistan decide to ally with the USA. During the independence struggle the Americans had often talked of the need for unity between Muslims and Hindus. Since the Muslims were trying to establish an independent Muslim homeland they were disturbed by this. The USA also took several years before it sent an ambassadors to Pakistan. In 1949 Liaquat Ali Khan accepted an offer to visit the Soviet Union. His intention was to force the Americans into closer alliance, he was successful. An invitation arrived almost immediately to visit the USA was arranged for Pakistan Embassy to be established in the USA.

    The Americans persuading India to join an anti-Communist pact with them but the Indians were reluctant to do so. By 1954 the Americans had decided that Pakistan, along with Iran and Turkey would be ideal countries to counter the growth of Soviet influence. An agreement was signed and American aid began to flow into Pakistan. Pakistan signed 3 agreements between 1954 and 1955. In May 1954 Pakistan and USA signed the Mutual Assistance Organization (SEATO) was setup. The members were the USA, the UK, France, the Philippines, Thailand, New Zealand and Australia.  Pakistan also joined but the Soviet Union seemed keener to have Pakistan as an Ally then the USA. decision faced opposition from within the Pakistan government and so the Treaty was not ratified until 1955. The Treaty stated that if any member were attacked, it could appeal to the other members for support.  However, there was one major problem as far as Pakistan was concerned. The Treaty applied only to help against communist aggression. This means Pakistan received no support war against India nor was help provided to prevent East Pakistan breaking away. Pakistan had hoped to persuade SEATO to set up a permanent military force to protect all members against any attack.  By 1972, it had decided that membership of SEATO was of limited value and Bhutto withdrew Pakistan from these organizations.   In 1955 Turkey and Iraq signed the Baghdad Pact, establishing anticommunist Alliance against the Soviet Union. Later in the year Britain, Pakistan and Iraq joined the pact.  All the members were Muslim except UK. The Pack was renamed the central Treaty organization (CENTO) afterwards Iraq left in 1959 because of Islamic revolution. By 1979 the organization was quietly dissolved. The USA supported CENTO but never actually joined. These three treaties helped to explain why some politicians described Pakistan in the 1950s as the USAs most allied ally.

In 1962 China and India went to war. As China was communist, The USA immediately sent military aid to help India fight. Pakistan leaders also argued that the Americans should have forced the Indians to accept arbitration on the Kashmir issue as a price for receiving aid. After 1962 both China and Pakistan became fast friends.

 

   In 1962 Ayub Khan visited China and in 1967, the Soviet Union. These visits displeased the USA. During the 1965 war between India and Pakistan the USA joined the UK in an arms embargo on both countries.  The Pakistan army at that time was depending entirely for weapons supplied by the USA the embargo was far more damaging than to India. In 1971, The USA did not help Pakistan during the civil war in East Pakistan and took few measures to help in the war against India. Although Ayub Khan had offended the Americans by visiting China and the Soviet Union; he was considered the architect of good relations between the USA and Pakistan.  He allowed to build their base in Peshawar, Pakistan.  When an American spy plane U-2 had flown from Peshawar and had been shot down over Soviet territory. Ayub was disappointed on USA behavior at that time.

   When in 1969 Ayub was deposed and replaced by Bhutto, the Americans were concerned that he was not as Pro-American as his predecessor and relations between the two countries deteriorated. Bhutto even accused the Americans and left SEATO and CENTO. The opposition against him became active in 1977 and Bhutto was arrested as well as martial law was imposed in Pakistan by General Zia ul Haq.  Relations reached Rock bottom when Zia came to power in 1977. The Americans did not approve of military regimes and did not want to form an Alliance with Zia.Then in November 1979 the US Embassy in Islamabad was burnt down. The US accused of Pakistan govt. for the attack and recalled many of its senior officials. All aid programs were cancelled. 

 

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