Pakistan-USA Relations in the Eyes of American and Pakistani Print Media: A Case Study of Post US Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Abstract

Public Opinion about governmental issues is a worldwide phenomenon. The present research discusses two Pakistani (The Dawn & Daily Times) and two US newspapers (The New York Times & Washington Post) about the relations of both countries. It also highlights the role of the Pakistani and US Print Media with special concerns of political relations between Pakistan and the United States. The Analysis of different editorials, regarding post US withdrawal conditions published in the said newspapers, is also discussed in this research. Though Pakistani media has to face a lot of challenges in the regimes of dictatorship but with their determination and strong will and government supportive recent laws, media has entered into new arenas which were earlier considered to be a taboo. The newspapers are the main source of exchanging the views to international people. There is a need of a little bit censorship of the newspapers so that the morale of Pakistan people cannot be underestimated. Pakistan walked along with USA in the War on Terror. Pakistan considered the military support from USA very effective in combating the militancy and terrorism. US-Pak relations have been once again cold. Pakistan is looking to China and Russia for military assistance which is unbearable for the United States. USA is not satisfied with the military operations of Pakistan. It stopped the financial aid to military and it also denied selling the eight F-16 fighter jets because USA is worried about the rapidly increasing nuclear arsenals of Pakistan. The relations between Pakistan and the United States are going to be further cold. The newspapers mentioned above are covering the News regarding post US withdrawal implications for Pakistan. The US papers are in favour of slow pace of draw-down process but Pakistani newspapers suggests the US withdrawal in the favour of Pakistan.