Pakistan under the Shadow of Nuclear Power: Scoping the Beneficiaries of US Aid, Effectiveness, and Future Implications

Abstract

This paper analyzes the US sanctions imposed on Pakistan after nuclear weapons tests by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It discusses factors determined to lift the US sanctions on Islamabad and its effectiveness of steadily sturdy economic sanctions. It examines how the US utilized Pakistan for national security interests by providing aid in a US-led campaign of counterterrorism after the 9/11 events. The self-interests of the US led it to favor Pakistan by lifting the sanctions and providing aid as well as Pakistan to utilize aid for military establishment and development purposes. This paper examines the cost-effectiveness of US aid and the gap between domestic and international perceptions regarding US aid beneficiaries in Pakistan. The main objective of this paper is to assess Pakistan’s focus to use the US aid by spending it for military or people-centric purposes, maintained by domestic and international perspectives. In this context, the paper provides a few suggestions with considerable implications on the donor-beneficiary approach to providing aid and spending funds in the future.