Pakistan: Counter-terror Policy is in Disarray

Event: President Asif Ali Zardari will take up the issue of Pakistan's sovereignty in talks with UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown today, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani said yesterday.

Significance: A cross-border raid by US ground forces, together with media claims that US President George Bush had authorised Special Operations troops to conduct such operations without seeking permission from Islamabad, has provoked anger from Pakistan's politicians, media and army. Pakistan's counter-terrorism policy may suffer as US-Pakistan relations deteriorate.

Conclusion: Pakistan's approach to countering terrorism in the tribal areas has shown some promising signs of consensus and civil-military coherence, but this risks being undermined by recent US actions. While the civil and military leadership may accept precision strikes by US airpower, they will strongly resist unauthorised ground operations by foreign forces.

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