美國或將凍結對巴基斯坦援助

The U.S. Congress is expected later this week to pass a measure that would freeze up to $700 million in aid to Pakistan because of fears that Islamabad is not doing enough to combat the spread of homemade bombs.

U.S. lawmakers are concerned that militants in Afghanistan are using fertilizer produced in Pakistan to develop improvised explosive devices - one of the militants' most effective weapons against U.S.-led forces there.

State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said Tuesday that the proposed suspension would not automatically cut the funding, but will make it dependent on making progress with Pakistan on the issue of homemade bombs.

The aid suspension is part of a larger defense spending bill that U.S. lawmakers are expected to pass later this week.

Several Pakistani officials criticized the move on Tuesday, saying it would only lead to worse relations with Washington.

U.S.-Pakistani ties have suffered since a secret U.S. strike killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in early May.

Relations reached a new low following a NATO airstrike in November that killed 24 Pakistani troops along the border with Afghanistan.預計美國國會本週晚些時候將通過一項議案，凍結向巴基斯坦提供的七億美元援助資金，原因是擔心伊斯蘭堡不會全力打擊自製炸彈的擴散。

美國議員擔心，在阿富汗的激進分子利用在巴基斯坦生產的化肥製造簡易爆炸裝置。這種裝置已成爲激進分子襲擊美國領導的聯軍的“最有效的武器”之一。

美國國務院發言人維多利亞.努蘭星期二表示，提議中的凍結行動不會自動切斷資金，但將使援助與巴基斯坦在自製炸彈問題上取得的進展掛鉤。

暫停援助是美國議員本週晚些時候預計會通過的一個較大的國防開支議案的一部分。

幾名巴基斯坦官員星期二批評這一行動，稱它只會導致美巴關係更加惡化。

自從5月初美軍在巴基斯坦的一次突襲中將“基地”組織頭目本.拉登擊斃以來，美巴關係一直受挫。

北約在11月的空襲中炸死24名駐紮在與阿富汗接壤地區的巴基斯坦軍人之後，兩國關係達到新低點。