The United States Congress has approved a military aid package of $700 million USD to Pakistan for its activities carried out in support of US operations in Afghanistan, but the package needs the approval of US Defense Secretary James Mattis.

The congress said if Mattis does not approve the package, the aid will not be made available to Pakistan.

It has been reported that of the $700 million USD, $350 million USD will be made available to Pakistan if Mattis certifies that Pakistan is doing enough to fight Haqqani and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

The secretary will also have to certify that Pakistan took steps to demonstrate its commitment to prevent the Haqqani network and LeT from using Pakistani territory as a safe haven and for fundraising or recruiting efforts.

The certification would also have to include a declaration that Pakistan is working with Afghanistan to restrict the movement of militants along the border, and that Pakistan had shown progress in arresting and prosecuting senior leaders and mid-level operatives of the Haqqani network and LeT.

Congress also said if handed over, the use of the funds would need to be monitored so as to ensure Pakistan was not using it to fund insurgent groups.

Meanwhile NATO has said without the support of neighboring countries bringing peace and stability to Afghanistan would be impossible.

“There cannot be peace in Afghanistan unless we engage Afghanistan's neighbors and we have to convince them to take on a constructive role on Afghanistan, its in their own interests as we would then move on from a lose-lose situation as we are currently facing to a win-win situation,” NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan Ambassador Cornelius Zimmermann said.

Afghan acting defense minister Tariq Shah Bahrami meanwhile said Pakistan will be subjected to more political pressure from foreign to take action against insurgents.

The Special Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Kabul Ambassador Hugo Llorens meanwhile said the US will stay in support of thousands of Afghan people who are fighting the insurgent groups to defend their country.

“We will continue to stand with the hundreds of thousands of Afghans fighting for their country against the Taliban and its terrorist allies. Together we will convince the Taliban they cannot win on the battlefield and together we will set the condition for the lasting peace settlement,” said Llorens.

Llorens said maintaining security in Afghanistan is at the center of US efforts in Afghanistan to make sure the insurgents won’t be able to threaten the world.