AN ASSESSMENT OF PAK-U.S RELATIONS DURING JUNGEO ERA 1985-1988

Abstract

This study provides a comprehensive assessment of Pak–U. S relations during the term of Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo (1985–1988) a period situated at the intersection of Cold War politics, regional security challenges, and Pakistan’s domestic political transition. Following the Soviet withdrawl form Afghanistan, Pakistan emerged as a frontline state for U.S. strategic interests, receiving significant economic and military assistance. During the Junejo era, bilateral relations were shaped by mutual dependence: Washington depend on on Islamabad to sustain the Afghan resistance, while Pakistan viewed U.S. aid as essential for strengthening its defense and economy. However, this relationship was not without friction. The U.S. consistently raised concerns regarding Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions, leading to debates surrounding the Pressler Amendment and conditional aid packages. Junejo, unlike General Zia-ul-Haq, attempted to adopt a more independent and pragmatic foreign policy approach by emphasizing parliamentary democracy, asserting civilian oversight, and cautiously balancing external commitments with domestic priorities. The paper analyzes key dimensions of this era, including cooperation in the Afghan war, U.S. aid flows, nuclear policy disputes, and Junejo’s independent position on issues such as the Geneva Accords. It highlights how Junejo’s cautious assertion of autonomy, while maintaining alliance commitments, reflected the difficulties of managing external pressures alongside domestic democratization. Ultimately, the research argues that Pak–U.S. relations during Junejo’s premiership were marked by both strategic convergence and structural contradictions, foreshadowing the returning patterns of dependency and mistrust that have continued to characterize the bilateral relationship in subsequent decades.