Pakistan's Foreign Policy Under Musharraf: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Briefing Paper
Owen Bennett Jones and Farzana Shaikh, March 2006

Since the attacks on the United States in September 2001 President Musharraf has been caught between the Bush administration's 'war on terror' and pro-Islamic parties in Pakistan.
While significant flows of US economic and military assistance to Pakistan have enabled Musharraf to resist pressure from his domestic critics by taking credit for his country's economic stability, he still faces difficult choices.
Continuing unrest in neighbouring Afghanistan and the slow pace of peace talks with India mean that he may face growing opposition from powerful groups unwilling to countenance any weakening of Pakistan's influence in the region or shift in the conduct of its regional policy.
Mindful of these risks, he has sought to chart an independent foreign policy by defying the United States and pursuing talks with Iran on the construction of a pipeline to allow the export of gas to India and Pakistan.
Despite the improving relations between Beijing and Delhi, Musharraf is determined to keep Pakistan's status as China's closest ally in the region. This is partly an attempt to recast Pakistan's relations with the United States along more independent lines.
However, the impression of an independent foreign policy has been most dramatically conveyed by Musharraf's unprecedented decision to formalize diplomatic contacts with Israel, which he hopes will establish his international reputation as a mature statesman.