Lecture 3

Pakistan’s Role during

Cold War (1947-1991)

Pakistan’s alliance
with USA

Pakistan’s position
towards USSR
What is Cold War
• A state of political tension and rivalry between the two
power blocs– the USA and the USSR.
• An ideological war, the struggle between communism and
capitalism .
• Create an ‘Iron Curtain’.
• Divided not only Europe but the World.
• Not a full scale war .
• Open warfare was avoided and undesired.
• The era of Cold War (1945-1991).
• Involves all Communist and Capitalist states.
• Each bloc showed its muscles and checked the global power
of other.
• Cold War was also characterized by large military forces and
arms race including nuclear arsenals and space war.
• Interventions by both superpowers in Europe, Asia and
Africa.
• Use propaganda tactics, espionage, threats, sanctions etc.
The era of Cold War (1945-1991)
• Involves all Communist and
Capitalist states.
• Each bloc showed its muscles and
checked the global power of other.
• Cold War was also characterized by
large military forces and arms race
including nuclear arsenals and space
war.
• Interventions by both superpowers
in Europe, Asia and Africa.
• Use propaganda tactics, espionage,
threats, sanctions etc.
• WWII ended in 1945.
• US and USSR retained power.
• Create allies, enhanced their
sphere of influence.
• US dropped its atomic bombs on
Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
• Truman Doctrine to support free
World.
• Turkey and Greece were the first
to receive economic aid.
Key events of Cold War
• Space Race, landed on moon and
Sputnik satellite.
• Race of nuclear weapons.
• NATO and Warsaw Pact.
• Marshal Plan and Molotov Plan.
• Korean war (1950-53), to contain
Communism.
• Vietnam war (1959-75).
• U-2 incident (May 1960).
• U-2 spy plane pilot Francis Gary
Powers---
• Berlin blockade (1948-49).

• Berlin Wall 1961.

• Cuban Missile Crisis (1962).

Afghan invasion by
Soviet troops in 1979

Afghan invasion by Soviet troops

in 1979.
Both sides funded revolutions,
insurgencies, political
assassinations.
Cold War ended with the fall of
Soviet bloc in 1989.
The dismemberment of Soviet
Union in 1991.
Cold War ended but it still
affects modern Geopolitics.
Pakistan is a South Asian country, with great geo-
strategic importance.

It lies at the cross-roads of the Middle East, Central

Asia and South Asia.
In the early cold war period, both the superpowers –
US & USSR were in search of allies.

To weaken each other and to raise the

number of their allies.

They picked allies from the Middle East,

South-East Asia and South Asia.
• Pakistan faced severe economic difficulties after partition:

• Because of unfair distribution of British India’s economic

assets.

• A large number of refugees.

• denial by India of its share in military hardware and

financial assets.

• Pakistan was thus vulnerable both economically and

strategically.
Rehabilitation of millions of people?
The Indian ruling elites, did not accept the fait accompli
of partition, since independence adopted a systematic
policy of weakening Pakistan.

Indian leaders openly stated that sooner or later

Pakistan would be merged in ‘Greater India’ or
‘Akhund Bharat’.

Therefore, Pakistan’s security was undoubtedly

threatened by its eastern neighbor.
Afghanistan its neighbor on
the west had also been
openly hostile towards
the newly born country,
claiming the latter’s
some territory as part of its
own territory.
Owing to this vulnerable
scenario Pakistan for its
survival, needed a strong ally
and friend.
The US which suffered no physical destruction during
the war, had emerged economically and politically strong.

The US sent messages of good wishes on the convening

of the first Constituent Assembly of Pakistan
(August 10, 1947).

US President Truman and Secretary of State

George C. Marshall on 14 August 1947, sent
congratulatory messages to the Pakistani leadership.
Relations with US
Those diplomatic overtures demonstrated that
the US fully recognized the strategic importance of Pakistan.

In contrast, the other superpower sent

a welcome message at the birth of Pakistan one month later.

The US at that time did not want to lose the opportunity of

cultivating friendship with the post-colonial countries of Asia.
After the WWII, both the superpowers were engaged in
a tussle to draw Europe into their respective spheres of influence.

Eastern and Central Europe, including East Germany became

satellite states of the Soviet Union.

West Europe, having the same political and economic ideals

as the US, entered into an alliance with the US.
West Europe became a staunch ally in the American
efforts to contain Communism.

The triumph of the Communists in China in October 1949,

the next door neighbor of India and Pakistan.

Diverted US attention to Asia and enhanced

the importance of Pakistan.
In June 1950 North Korea,
where Communists had taken
over, imposed a war on South Korea.

This whipped up fears that the Communists

would expand the war to other vulnerable countries.
The US realized the geographical importance
of Pakistan.

Pakistan, saw itself as a natural ideological foe of the Communists.

India fostered the Non-aligned policy.

US implemented the policy of containment
in Asia in earnest.

It formed a network of alliances in the region.

Extended economic assistance to the countries

amenable to American influence.
• US realized that Pakistan’s location is ideal for air operations.
• To keep an eye on its foes.
• The Russian Federation, nor its predecessor, the erstwhile Soviet
Union were Pakistan’s immediate neighbor but very near to
Pakistan’s northern borders.

Pakistan came into being to give a homeland to the Muslims

of the subcontinent, so that they could live according
to the tenets of Islam and freely practice their religion.

The then Soviet Union was a Communist state,

thus ideologically both the states were poles apart.
. At the time of independence Moscow feared that Pakistan,
have geographical proximity with Soviet
Muslim Central Asia and also ethnic and historic
ties with the nationalities in this Soviet region.

. The Soviet Union feared the formation of a Muslim belt including

Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia and Turkey.

. The Muslim background of the Central Asian Republics

was a disturbing factor.
. The formal relations between Pakistan and the Soviet Union
were established after nine months of independence
on May 1, 1948.
• In the early days due to immense problems after
independence e.g. Security issues, lack of resources,
inadequate military capability, etc.
• Only the US which had emerged as a superpower,
had friendly relations with Pakistan, was in a position to
help Pakistan both economically and militarily.
. The US did not suffer destruction during the Second World War
and preached democratic principles.

. The Soviet Union on the other hand had been ravaged by the War,
was economically weak and espoused Communism, a Godless
and totalitarian ideology.
• Pakistan openly adopted an anti-Communist foreign policy.
• In 1951 the government accused the Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP),
for conspiring against the government.
. In 1954 Pakistan joined the US led
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).
Along with the US, UK, France, New Zealand,
Australia, the Philippines and Thailand.

. Pakistan left SEATO in 1973,

When it failed to provide assistance
against India.
. In 1955 Baghdad Pact was signed.
Members were Iraq, Iran, Britain, Turkey and Pakistan.

. Iraq withdrew from the Pact in 1958 and the Pact became
Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) in 1959.

. For promoting shared political, military and economic goals.

. The main purpose was to contain Communism.

. Pakistan left it in 1979.

 Relations with USSR

Pakistan’s participation in these alliances increased

the Soviet hostility towards the country and Moscow vetoed every
UN resolution on Kashmir and supported
Afghanistan more zealously on the issue of Pakhtunistan.
 [i]

• U2 incident.
• The plane took off from Peshawar’s Badaber US Air base.
• Soviet Union threat to bombard the base along with whole city.
• Khrushchev warned Pakistan if the base used again, there would be
immediate retaliation.
• After this incident Pakistan brought a balanced foreign policy and
cultivate relations with USSR.
• Pakistan signed an agreement in 1961 for oil exploration.
• In 1965 Pakistan signed number of trade agreements.
• In 1965 Indo-Pak war Soviet Union remained neutral.
• Mediate in Tashkent Conference.
• Soviet premier Alexei Kosygin visited Pakistan in 1968 and 69.
 [i]

• During his second visit Kosygin presented his scheme of ‘Regional

Economic Cooperation’.
• The scheme includes Pakistan, India, Iran, Afghanistan and Soviet
Union.
• The scheme was known as Brezhnev’s ‘Collective Security System in
Asia”.
• Soviet Union also linked the arms supplies to Pakistan with the
endorsement of this scheme.
• Pakistan refused to sign.
• China which is also a Communist country and friend of Pakistan.
• Sino-Soviet relations were deteriorated for number of reasons.
• US cash this situation.
• US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger secretly visited China with the
help of Pakistan.
• In retaliation, Soviet Union signed a Soviet-Indo friendship Treaty for
a period of 20 years.
• USSR also retaliated by giving full support to India in 1971 war.

• Help India in succession of East Pakistan.

• Moscow wanted to make India a counterweight against China.

• Thus provide massive arms to it.

• Z.A. Bhutto came to power in W. Pakistan and espoused Socialism
and nationalization policy.
• He visited twice to USSR and restored trade and cooperation.
• Signed number of agreements.
• USSR supported the power project of Guddo Thermal Power station.
• Established Steel Mills in Karachi.
• Bilateral trade enhanced by 25%.
• In 1979 Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.
• Millions of refugees came to Pakistan.
• Presence of Soviet troops also a threat for Pakistan.
• US supported the Mujahideen via Pakistan.
• Pakistan became a front line state.
• Relations with Soviet Union became hostile.
• After the Geneva Accords in 1988, Soviet forces
withdrew from Afghanistan.
• Soviet Union dismembered in 1991.
• 15 New Republics emerged from erstwhile Soviet
Union.