Political Crisis In Pakistan May Impact Ties With India: U.S. Congressional Report

"This could have negative implications for U.S. efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s democratic governance institutions. Any overt military ouster of Sharif could trigger another round of democracy-related U.S. sanctions on foreign assistance to Pakistan, potentially putting an indefinite halt to what has been one of the highest-priority American aid programs since 9/11," it said.

"While few assess that Sharif's government now faces an imminent threat of ouster from office, many observers see the current unrest weakening Sharif and representing a setback to democratisation in a country that has suffered three outright military coups in its 67 years of independence," the report said.

"To many analysts, it appears unlikely that Pakistan in the near future will alter any of its foreign or security policies of interest to the United States. However, the U.S. government has sought to help in fostering Pakistan's democratic system, and that effort has been disrupted by the current unrest," the CRS said.

According to the report, circumstantial evidence suggests some links between Khan, fiery cleric Tahirul Qadri, Pakistan's military establishment, and numerous analysts identify a more-or-less coordinated effort between the military and the unfolding of the latest crisis.

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