Pakistan's Strategic Crossroads: Navigating the Cold War Landscape

In the unending battle to the detriment of Indian Muslims under the leadership of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Pakistan established itself as an ideology-driven Muslim state on the globe. The planning and execution of the partition had devastating military and territorial effects on Pakistan. Pakistan was in urgent need of economic and military assistance at the beginning of its existence. However, the international scene was full of tensions because of the conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. In its first days after independence, Pakistan got invitations from the USSR and the USA which would eventually influence Pakistan's foreign policy during the 1950s.

When the United States gained independence, the international environment was defined by a tight bipolarity. The United States and the Soviet Union were the most potent global powers. USSR was the leader of the communist bloc, while the USA was the ally of capitalism across the globe. Both ideologies opposed one another and established alliances and spheres of influence to boost their power and deter their rivals.

Pakistani foreign policy pursued its foreign policies while respecting the fundamentals of international law, respect for independence, non-aggression, and not interfering in the internal affairs of any nation. It is essential to remember that Pakistan had to face severe challenges in development and defence and was a grave danger to the basis of the new Muslim state because of the hostile nature of India since the country's inception. India was unwilling to settle disputes concerning the fundamentals of justice and law. They attempted to find an equalizer to India. Thus, Pakistan's foreign policy was shaped by the necessity for arms needed to guarantee its state's safety and the money needed to fund its economic machinery.

Because the Pakistan-Soviet Russia relationships were involved, there were several ups and downs from the beginning of Pakistan's existence. However, Pakistan was founded with a non-alignment policy and embraced the principle of not collaborating in conflicting ideologies between the two countries.

However, Pakistan's policies of avoiding involvement in power politics did not favour it. The issue was Kashmir The Soviet's approach was neutral, while Western powers of the UN Security Council tried to solve issues related to the Kashmir dispute. The status quo was acceptable for India; however, it was not acceptable to Pakistan, and the USSR's approach was too affluent toward India. Pakistan has also stated that it would accept financial aid from any source. However, the Soviets didn't respond to this.

Additionally, politically and ideologically, Soviets socialism was not attractive to the Western-minded Pakistani leadership, who were firmly dedicated to a Western kind of democracy. In the same way, USSR did not decide to begin diplomatic relations with Pakistan. However, certain circles within Pakistan were influenced by the rapid economic growth of the USSR and its policies of resistance to imperialism. The question here is why the Soviets Union invited Premier Liaqat Ali Khan to visit Moscow.

In reality, two events during the initial stage of 1949 caused USSR as well as Pakistan for a new review their relations. One was India's decision to remain a part of Common Wealth even after it was declared an independent republic. However, the Indian policies were favourable to the West. The second was the US president of the United States, John F. Kennedy's invitation to Nehru to travel to his home country on May 7 1949. In response to this, the Soviets Union extended an invitation to the Pakistani premier, who wanted to invite him to Moscow. The Soviets' offer was accepted but was not realized due to the conspiracy-driven circumstances created for him. Liaqat Ali Khan was sent to the United States instead of the USSR. No explanation from any level of government was offered to justify this decision.

But, it is to be true: following the second world war, the US emerged from war much more potent than in 1938 and 39. It had reorganized its economy to maintain a vast and powerful naval force in addition to air and army force and also to revitalize the devastated economies of Western Europe and Japan. On the other hand, the Russian economy suffered from the Nazi war in Germany and could not offer economic aid to Pakistan. However, at the same time, the USA promised Pakistan that there would be no change to its policy of neutrality towards both India as well as Pakistan. In reality, the main motive behind Pakistan's preference for the USA over the USSR is the anti-communist ideology and denial of contact on an official level in Soviet Russia.

In a tense scenario, Pakistan will seek out the United States because the USA is the only reliable source of military and financial assistance. Additionally, politically and ideologically, the US system was more attractive and a good match for Pakistan. Involved in the confinement of Soviets influence in Europe and in reviving Western economies based on the Capitalist model, South Asia was a second top priority for the US insofar as her goals were related. But, their response could have been more cooperative due to its geo-strategic positioning and proximity to the oil-rich Gulf region. This strategic location was a boon for Pakistan in gaining US cooperation. Limited by its requirements and issues, Pakistan reached out to the US to receive financial assistance during Liaqat Khan's visit to the USA on May 5, 1950. America was interested in expanding cooperation, but their official response to the issue regarding financial assistance needed to be revised.

To cut the tale short, Pakistan decided to join the US-controlled bloc rather than the Russian bloc, which significantly impacted the direction of Pakistan's international policy. Before we look at the benefits and drawbacks of alliances, it's crucial to remember that the primary reason behind Pakistan's choice to join Western alliances was the necessity of finding an equalizer to India. Through military pacts, Pakistan obtained Western military equipment for its army. As of January 1957. Ayub Khan declared, "we have no shortage of material and men". The only benefit implicit in the agreements with the West was that Pakistan obtained more weapons and increased its defences in the face of India. However, the cost of the alliances was higher than the advantages. India and USSR were closer to one another in their fight against Pakistan because the Soviets interpreted the military pacts to be a US Cold War strategy to aid in the Soviet defence. In the process, USSR expanded its support to India to fight Pakistan, and Indo-Russian ties increased in strength. Russia began to support the Indian causes in Kashmir openly. Kashmir even acknowledged that it was a state in India. They backed India economically, politically, technically, and military. They even established a relationship of sisterhood with India. In addition, the Soviet Union also extended its assistance to Afghanistan regarding the Pakhtoonistan issue.

During the wars-1965 and 1971, Pakistan was unwilling to take any aid under the military accords. A more serious issue was that USSR used its veto power to block any resolution concerning Kashmir within the Security Council. Therefore, the cost of opting for the USA bloc rather than the USSR was higher than its advantages.