Pakistan's institutions in political tug of war

In Pakistan, President Asif Ali Zardari's ruling party lobbied coalition partners Friday for a vote of support ahead of a confidence vote Monday as the government faces the most intense pressure from the powerful military since a 1999 coup.

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari faces his biggest political crisis since he took office in 2008 over an unsigned memo to the Pentagon that sought U.S. help in reining in Pakistan's generals, who have ruled the nation for more than half of its history. This after a NATO drone attack last November on the border with Afghanistan left dozens of soldiers dead, fuelling anti-Western sentiment among the population.

The nuclear armed South Asian state is seen as key in efforts to stabilise neighbouring Afghanistan. The fact remains however, that no civilian government has ever served out its full five-year term in the country.

The tug of war between the army and civilian leaders is also impacting on society with a crisis of governance and law enforcement leaving increasing space to radical groups.

Earlier this week, a bomb killed at least 25 people and wounded 26 in Pakistan's north-western Khyber region, one of the restive tribal areas on the border with Afghanistan where Tehrik-e-Taliban insurgents have been battling the military for years. The attack came amid conflicting reports of peace talks between the insurgents and the Pakistani government. Tehrik-e-Taliban have vowed to overthrow the military and government and impose Sharia law throughout Pakistan.