ABSTRACT
The fifth chapter examines Pakistan’s strategic considerations and regional stability in South Asia by looking at the case of Pakistan’s participation in the global war on terror from 2001 to 2013. This is another important case to see the effectiveness of Pakistan’s national security state policies in protecting its regional security interests in the post-Cold War era. The 9/11 terror attacks changed the security dynamics of South Asia. Pakistan once again became a key strategic ally in the US-led global war on terror, which provided another opportunity for the Pakistani military to buttress itself serving national security state. General Musharraf adopted a dual policy on the war on terror which was self-defeating, as Islamabad supported the Kabul regime but at the same time aided the Afghan Taliban after joining the global war on terror. The chapter argues that this dual policy has severe consequences for Pakistan, making it more insecure than before. This case also confirms that Islamabad has largely failed to protect its regional security interests under national security state in the post-9/11 settings.
