Despite an ebb in U.S.-Pakistan relations following Osama bin Laden's killing May 2 in Pakistan, the bond between the two countries will not break because of how much each nation depends on the other in the areas of economy and security, U.S. Rep. Rush Holt said during the annual meeting of the Pakistani American Congress.

The Pakistani American Congress (PAC) is an umbrella organization of different Pakistani community associations that works to promote goodwill and cordial relations between the United States and Pakistan and their people through activism on Capitol Hill. The congressman made his remarks at its June 21 meeting in Washington, D.C.

Holt acknowledged Pakistan's role in the war against terror. He also recognized the fact that the current strain in bilateral relations had increased calls in the U.S. Congress for greater scrutiny and new conditions on American economic and military aid to Islamabad. The U.S. House Appropriations Committee on June 14 approved a defense-spending bill that imposes limits on American aid to Pakistan, withholding 75 percent of the $1.1 billion in U.S. aid to Pakistan until the administration tells Congress how it would spend the money.

The Pakistani-American community has long been making efforts to lobby for its country of origin at the U.S. Capitol, but these efforts have often fallen short of the community's expectations. The community's latest effort to shore up government support received a setback when only four members of the U.S. Congress and about 40 PAC members and local community journalists showed up at the Rayburn House Office Building for PAC's annual meeting. The legislators in attendance were Holt and his fellow House members Reps. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.), Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.).

Holt in his speech to PAC acknowledged the low turnout. He said that Pakistanis were a vibrant community in many cities across the U.S. but that they had very little presence at the U.S. Capitol to lobby for their country. He believed community activism and lobbying in Congress could help improve relations between the two countries.

Schwartz in her address to PAC underscored the importance of U.S.-Pakistan relations. She said that Washington recognizes the sacrifices Pakistan has made in the war against terror and would continue to help it root out the scourge.

Ros-Lehtinen also recognized the central role Pakistan has played in defeating terrorism. She assured continued U.S. support to Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.

Chabot played down the idea of an increasing wedge between Washington and Islamabad. He told the Pakistan Post after the meeting that ups and downs in bilateral relations were not uncommon in international relations. He said bilateral relations between any two countries were always dictated by ground realities, which was the case in U.S.-Pakistan relations as well.

Earlier, PAC leaders said Pakistan's sacrifices in the war against terror needed to be more widely recognized in the U.S. media. The country has lost 40,000 civilians and its economy has lost $70 billion over the past 10 years.