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WASHINGTON : Policy makers in Washington are engaged in a fierce debate over whether to continue supporting Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
There has growing concern over the detention of judges and political activists, as well as its impact on democracy.
In addition, the US administration is concerned over what the increased instability would mean for the "war on terror".
Some policy experts said it's time to cut the chord and withdraw aid.
The Bush administration said it is carrying out a review of aid but promised not to compromise Washington's security goals.
A retired senior Pakistani general said Washington needs to be cautious.
"If you abandon President Musharraf, what alternative do you have? He is still in power, he is calling the shots in Islamabad. Abandoning President Musharraf at this stage would be like abandoning Pakistan. And the US cannot afford to do that as long as the US is fighting a war in Afghanistan," said retired Pakistani General Naeem Salik.
The fact that lawyers and human rights activists have been targeted during this state of emergency is creating concern that President Musharraf has become more dictatorial.
Some in the Bush administration said it's compromising the Bush administration's democracy-building agenda.
The International Crisis Group has called for the immediate release of a prominent human rights activist who was interviewed before her arrest.
"What fundamentally has to be understood is that this is not a country where people are neither unaware, afraid to speak up, nor are they willing to share economic and political power with a military that has no vision, that is oppressive, and that has made mistake upon mistake," said Asma Jahangir, chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, speaking on August 30 this year.
But it's the breakdown of the military that is now worrying top policy analysts in Washington.
Daniel Markey, Council on Foreign Relations said: "If you could see a scenario which would put various parts of the army against each other, that kind of fissure opens the door to the moving in of other political forces, more extreme forces, including those that would be hostile to the US and to the international community."
US hopes are now being pinned on former prime minister Benazir Bhutto who could potentially forge a compromise with the Musharraf government and force a declaration for an election date.
Meanwhile, US President Bush continues to stand by President Musharraf. But if the situation in Pakistan were to significantly deteriorate, Washington's support for General Musharraf would become much more difficult to guarantee. - CNA /ls
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