"If Musharraf was assassinated or otherwise replaced, Pakistan's new leader would be less pro-US," the Director of the US Defence Intelligence Agency Vice Admiral Lowell Jacoby as saying.

He said that it was also a matter of concern that majority of the population in Pakistan held a favourable view of terror mastermind and al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

"We are concerned that extremist Islamic politicians would gain greater influence. Majority of population in Pakistan holds favourable view of Osama bin Laden," he added.

He said that though no assassination attempts have been made on Musharraf's life since December 2003, Musharraf was still at high risk of assassination.

"Our assessment remains unchanged from last year. The Prime Minister and a corps commander have been the targets of assassination attempts since last summer. President Musharraf remains at high risk of assassination, although no known attempts on his life have occurred since December 2003," The Nation further quoted him as saying.

He further added that Pakistan had very tactfully launched military offensives in the tribal regions against suspected al-Qaeda terrorists and remnants of the Taliban militia believed to be holed up in the Wana region, while at the same time entering into negotiations with the tribal leaders to thwart any backlash because of the offensive.

"Pakistan significantly increased its military operations and pacification efforts in tribal areas along the Afghanistan border in 2004. The operation affected al-Qaeda, Taliban and other groups by disrupting safe-havens and, in come cases, forcing them back into Afghanistan where they are vulnerable to Coalition (US and its allies in Afghanistan) operations. Pakistan also secured agreements with several tributes by successfully balancing military action with negotiations and rewards to encourage cooperation and limit backlash. Pakistan must maintain and expand these operations in order to permanently disrupt insurgent and terrorist activity. The economy has displayed strong growth over the past two years. Unless Musharraf is assassinated, Pakistan will remain stable through the year; further political and economic reforms is needed to continue positive trends beyond that time," he concluded.