Editing West Pakistan (section)

===United States===
{{Main|Pakistan-United States relations}}
The United States was one of the first nations to establish relations with Pakistan upon its independence.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-01-02 |title='Tempestuous' Defines US-Pakistan Alliance |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/timeline-of-pakistan-and-us-relations/4190104.html |access-date=2024-05-29 |website=Voice of America |language=en}}</ref>

Pakistan was allied with the US during the [[Cold War]] against the [[Soviet Union|USSR]]. Pakistan was an integral member of the [[Southeast Asia Treaty Organization]] (SEATO) and the [[Central Treaty Organization]] (CENTO), both alliances opposed to the [[Soviet Union]] and [[communism]].

A major factor in Pakistan's decision to ally with the [[Western world|West]] was their urgent need for aid.<ref name="Dawn Newspaper, Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (1950)">{{cite news|last=Ardeshir Cowasjee|title=A recap of Soviet-Pakistan relations|url=http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/13/a-recap-of-soviet-pakistan-relations.html|access-date=26 February 2012|newspaper=Dawn Newspaper, Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (1950)|date=13 March 2011}}</ref> In the years that followed, the US supplied extensive economic, scientific, and military assistance to Pakistan.<ref name="LA">{{cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-pakistan-20110507,0,2721411.story?track=rss|title=U.S.-Pakistan relations: An unhappy alliance|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=7 May 2011 }}</ref>

This close relationship continued through Pakistan's years of democracy and military rule. Relations only soured after West Pakistan had dissolved into Pakistan, when the [[Left-wing politics|left-oriented]] [[Pakistan Peoples Party]] came to power in 1971.