ISLAMABAD, July 28: Pakistan on Saturday took serious note of a section of the draft bill adopted by the US Congress which links security assistance to Islamabad with its counter-terrorism efforts and warned that such conditionality could prove detrimental for bilateral cooperation and undermine the evolving strategic relationship between the two countries.

“The draft bill adopted by the US Congress on Implementation of 9/11 Commission Recommendations contains references and provisions that cast a shadow on the existing cooperation between Pakistan and the United States, regardless of the fact that the bill emphasises the importance attached by the United States to long-term strategic relationship with Pakistan,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said in a statement.

“Accordingly, the bill is disappointing from Pakistan’s point of view.”

Referring to conditionalities introduced in the bill for the continuation of US security assistance to Pakistan, she cautioned: “This is reminiscent of the infamous Pressler Amendment that had damaged relationship in the past.”