Islamabad And Washington: The Evolution Of A Complex Relationship – OpEd

Islamabad and Washington share a volatile history of cooperation and conflict. This relationship is an array of contiguous cycles reflecting friendship and betrayal. The two nations enjoyed close relations in the 1960s particularly, when Pakistan became an important ally of the United States in the context of the Cold War. The cooperation was supported by the military and economic assistance, as well as cooperation in the fight against communism in Asia.

The US-Pakistan relations were at their best during the pinnacle of Cold War. Pakistan played an instrumental role in bringing about the new world order in early 1970s and assisted in normalization of relations between the US and China. But this period of cooperation was succeeded by periods of hostility and suspicion. The Pressler Amendment in 1985 was the most vivid example of the “toxic love-hate” dynamic of this bilateral relationship. The Amendment, which limited US military and economic assistance to Pakistan, until the President of US could certify that Pakistan did not have nuclear weapons, brought the relations down to a considerably cold level. This period of estrangement remained throughout the 1990s, due to Pakistan’s nuclear developments and political turmoil.

9/11 was another turning point in the world history. Pakistan became one of the frontline states in the US led war on terror and in return, Pakistan received subsequent military and economic aid. However, the allegations of Pakistan’s double-dealing, especially the support it was rendering to Taliban in Afghanistan, grossly contributed towards snowballing mistrust. This was worsened by the covet operation conducted by the US inside Pakistan, which led to the assassination of Osama bin Laden in 2011, thus further deteriorating the relations.

Adding insult to injury, most recently a resolution has been passed from US House, exhibiting concern on election malpractices and expressing doubts on democracy and human rights situation in Pakistan. Seen as a measure of intrusion in Pakistan’s affairs, this resolution has caused considerable anger in Pakistan. Despite historical ups and downs in trajectory of bilateral relations, it is however, fairly evident that the current relations between Islamabad and Washington are improving fast. According to the US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Elizabeth Horst, the bilateral relations are at the “best state”, they have been in for years. Much of the diplomatic progress, Horst said, was due to the alignment of policies and convergence of interests. In recent years, the two countries have initiated “new dialogues” and have defined new fields of cooperation such as trade, health, energy and climate change. These dialogues have created the foundation for a broader relationship, while security cooperation continues to be the anchor of this relationship.

Security ties continue to be one of the most significant components of the bilateral relations between the United States and Pakistan. There are mutual interests of both countries in maintaining stability in the region and fighting terrorism. This cooperation is particularly important, given the insecurity in the region especially in Afghanistan and the South Asian region. This security cooperation is based on the principles of military cooperation, exchange of information, and counter-terrorism operations due to the shared threats of extremism and other security issues. Recent facts and statistics illustrate the depth of this cooperation: In 2023, the US and Pakistan held several military exercises; the annual Inspired Union exercises that are aimed at counterterrorism and cooperation. Furthermore, the US cleared over US $4 billion in foreign military sales to Pakistan, during the last decade, which clearly indicates a policy of building up Pakistan’s defense capabilities.

Economically, the relationship has been gradually improving as the time goes by. There has been an increase in trade between the two countries and both sides are seeking ways and means to further increase bilateral trade. The US has expressed a desire to fund Pakistan’s economic liberalization and infrastructure projects as it has realized the potential of Pakistan to be a better economic partner in the region. Major economic interactions are trade relations, and the bilateral trade turnover has exceeded US$6 billion. It is projected that the global spending will reach US$ 6 billion in 2022, which is much higher than the previous years. There has been an increase in US direct investment in Pakistan; American companies have invested more than US$ 1 billion in the last five years in different sectors such as energy and technology. Also, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) has been giving more than US $1 billion of the economic aid to Pakistan since 2010, mainly in the fields of health, education, and economic growth.

In the social and humanitarian fields, cooperation has also been evident. Health, education, and climate change have been some of the areas of interest in the implementation of projects. The US has funded several initiatives that were geared towards increasing the capacity of health systems in Pakistan, increasing access to education, and mitigating the effects of climate change. Some of the major programs are the health programs financed by USAID that amounts to US $ 500 million in Pakistan in the past ten years and focused on the improvement of maternal and child health, disease control and health facility strengthening. The US-Pakistan Knowledge Corridor is to facilitate 10,000 Pakistani scholars to study Ph. D. in the US by 2025 to boost educational relations and cooperation. In light of the situation, the US has committed US $ 50 million for climate resilience programs in Pakistan, especially in the areas of agriculture and disaster management.

The evolution of the relations between the United States and Pakistan in the last decade can be described as the interdependence of the two countries’ strategic interests and political processes. Despite the fact that the relationship has been tested umpteenth number of times and has had its fair share of problems, both countries have recently shown a desire to repair the relationship and make it stronger. Focusing on the practical cooperation in security, economic, and social fields, Islamabad and Washington are gradually shifting towards more stable and effective partnership.