Two senior United States Congressmen have introduced a bill that seeks to significantly cut down the country’s ties with Pakistan, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US, NDTV reported on Friday. Republican Ted Poe and Democrat Rick Nolan on Friday introduced the bill for revoking Pakistan’s Major Non-NATO Ally status, alleging that the country harboured terrorists, and had not shown accountability for the money the US had given it for fighting and eradicating terrorist groups.

“Pakistan must be held accountable for the American blood on its hands,” Poe said. “From harbouring Osama bin Laden to backing the Taliban, Pakistan has stubbornly refused to go after terrorists that actively seek to harm opposing ideologies. We must make a clean break with Pakistan, but at the very least, we should stop providing them the eligibility to obtain our own sophisticated weaponry.”

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Nolan said Pakistan had “taken advantage of America’s goodwill” and “demonstrated that they are no friend and ally of the United States”. “The billions of dollars we have sent to Pakistan over the last 15 years have done nothing to effectively fight terrorism and make us safer. It is time to wake up to the fact that Pakistan has ties to the same terrorist organisations which they claim to be fighting.”

Former US President George W Bush had granted Pakistan the major ally status in 2004, to purportedly help the United States fight al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The status allows Pakistan access to an expedited arms sale process, a US loan guarantee programme, and priority delivery of defence material. It can also stockpile US military hardware and be sold sophisticated weaponry.

Modi will vist the US on June 25, and meet US President Donald Trump on June 26. Ahead of the visit, the Trump administration approved sale of 22 Guardian drones to India, reported PTI.