And he may have faced a similar situation as with drug cartels in Mexico.
Some leaders in Mexico may have rather decided they would rather have a few, relatively well-behaved (emphasis on relative) cartels, then a wild west situation.
It's like a doctor trying to damage-control and make the best of a situation in which the patient is injured in several different ways, and a number of other professionals do this kind of thing, too.
Now, the politician may play poker and early on make a statement, we will have rule of law, we will not make deals. But if a deal crosses his her desk six months later that significantly improves things, without foreclosing future improvement? Well, his or her citizens would certainly be interested in that deal.
And the Herb Cohen principle of a president, governor, or mayor not negotiating for himself or herself, but rather appointing someone to negotiate.
Now, I am an idealist! So, if you have better alternatives, please share them.
And I don't know all the details about Mushariff, far from it. But he did allow U.S. and UK military units to operate in his country.