He is an MPhil scholar at NDU and is currently working as a writer at Independent News Pakistan (INP)
Pakistan has a distinctive geostrategic location, lying at the heart of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. To the south of its location lies the strategically vital Arabian Sea, which provides access to the Asia-Pacific Ocean. The Gawadar Port allows access to the Strait of Hormuz, where 30% of world oil is transported annually. Geographically Pakistan shares borders with massive global economies like China and India and energy-resource-abundant states like Afghanistan and Iran. This makes Pakistan a pivotal player in regional stability and global power politics.
Since the country’s inception, the United States has always maintained a short-term strategic relationship with Islamabad through the lens of geopolitics. To stop the spread of communism, the US struck a mutual defense agreement with Pakistan and made it a member state of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) in 1954 and the Central Treaty Organization (CENTO) in 1955.
After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, Washington used Islamabad as the bulwark and breeding ground for training Mujahideen to fight the Soviets. Moreover, the US provided Pakistan with economic life support through aid, grants, and military assistance. During the Afghan War, Pakistan witnessed an economic boom as its GDP rose sharply. However, when the US adversary, the USSR, was defeated, the Americans left Afghanistan without any political settlement. Then the chickens came home to roost in Pakistan, which led to the proliferation of Kalashankof and drug culture, making Pakistan highly........