WSHINGTON, May 18: As US lawmakers increased pressure on the Obama administration to discontinue its security aid to Pakistan, a senior member of the cabinet, Defence Secretary Robert Gates, strongly rejected the idea on Wednesday, insisting that it was in the US interests to continue the aid.

During a congressional hearing and later talking to reporters, the outgoing secretary — who is widely respected in both Republican and Democratic parties — said he had seen no evidence to suggest that the Pakistani government knew the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden before the May 2 US raid on his compound.

“I think we have to proceed with some caution,” he said. “We do have significant interest in Pakistan. My own view is we need to continue the assistance that we have provided that benefits the Pakistani people.”

The defence secretary also admitted that the raid in Abbottabad was humiliating for Pakistanis who felt that Americans could storm into their country with impunity.

Although Mr Gates speculated that somebody in Pakistan — a mid-level bureaucrat or a retired official — knew Bin Laden was hiding in Abbottabad but he had seen no evidence to suggest that the top civilian or military leaders were also aware of his presence.

US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen, who also addressed the media with Mr Gates, agreed with the defence secretary and said that he too had seen no direct evidence of knowledge by Pakistani officials that Bin Laden was there. And Admiral Mullen added that the US relationship with Pakistan remained a valuable one.

“Clearly we’ve had challenges with respect to the long-term strategic partnership,” the admiral said. “We were not trusted because we left for a significant period of time. And that trust isn’t going to be re-established overnight.” — Anwar Iqbal