U.S. strategy on Pakistan analyzed

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's emergency rule crackdown may have upset a U.S. plan to broaden his support through former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Bhutto's return to Pakistan last month was part of a power-sharing plan which would have helped Musharraf continue in power, The New York Times reported.

However, the paper said Saturday, the weeklong actions taken by Pakistani authorities since Musharraf imposed emergency rule have raised questions about the Bush administration's strategy.

Further complicating the issue, Pakistani authorities sent police Friday to stop Bhutto from leading a rally to protest the emergency rule. Such actions were inconsistent with the kind of cooperation the United States had sought, the Times said.

However, U.S. administration officials and Pakistani experts say they still believe a power-sharing deal between Musharrafs and Bhutto is still possible, the report said. A U.S. State Department official was quoted as saying, "We hope we're seeing a little bit of political theater here."

Moderate Pakistani analysts are of the opinion a determined U.S. campaign for fair elections would help put in place a moderate pro-Western government with a stronger mandate to fight terrorism, the report said.