US War on Terror: Security Challenges for Pakistan 2001-2012

Abstract

The 9/11 incident and the ensuing War on Terror triggered a paradigm shift in the broader notion of security in international politics. Responding to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the US invaded Afghanistan in October 2001. The aim was to oust the Taliban regime, and to fight terrorism. Pakistan played a crucial role as a frontline state in the War against Terrorism. Additionally, Pakistan was already facing security challenges from its eastern and western borders. The government of Pakistan played a proactive role to fight the War against Terrorism but at a huge economic and human cost. The War on Terror added further to the vulnerability of Pakistan and it became a victim of terrorist attacks. In this dissertation, qualitative research methodology is used to analyze the security challenges faced by Pakistan, from 2001 to 2012. In the wake of 9/11 attacks and its aftermath, Pakistan realized it needed robust reforms by reevaluating its security policies to preserve Pakistan’s national interest and international prestige; this is probed through the Realist lens. While supporting the US in its anti-terrorism efforts, Pakistan played an important role by developing counter-terrorism policies. This posed a dilemma for Pakistan, as its new posture made it vulnerable to new security threats, internal as well as external. Pakistan-US relations witnessed a new phase in the WoT, marked by both convergence and divergence of interests. The dissertation offers a security perspective on Pak US relations in the critical years of the WoT, and how this relationship was managed by the respective governments of Pakistan and the United States.