Pakistanis reacted negatively to certain aspects of the Kerry-Lugar Bill, formally known as the Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009, reports Shamshad Ahmad for The News International.

The Kerry-Lugar Bill proposed a 7.5 billion dollar aid package for economic and social development in Pakistan. The initiative sparked negative responses throughout Pakistan due to a controversial section of the bill, which some Pakistani citizens perceive as an infringement on Pakistan's sovereignty.

Ahmad refers to the contentious part as "the murderous section 302..." The section calls for monitoring reports and "an assessment of the extent to which the Government of Pakistan exercises effective civilian control of the military." US officials claim that the benchmark is solely for informational purposes.

In another article for The News International, Sami Abrahim recounts the responses of several US officials to the Pakistani reaction. Most of the officials expressed surprise with the overwhelmingly negative response. Chaiman of the House for Foreign Relations Committee Howard Berman said that the opposition was "a created crisis, by people ... whose goal is either to destabilize the (Pakistani) government, or challenge some of the Pakistani military's priorities."

Russia Today reports that American officials are currently preparing an explanatory statement asserting that the US does not intend to interfere with Pakistan's sovereignty.

Some experts believe that the reaction of the opposition is rooted in the volatile history of US-Pakistan relations. Ahmad labels the bill as "another blatant example of closing [American] eyes to history."

On the Shadow Government blog at Foreign Policy, Dan Twining asserts that the crisis in US-Pakistan relations reveals several things, one of which is Pakistan's continued civil-military imbalance. The controversial provisions of the bill may ignite problems if the Pakistani military views civilian actions as "meddling" with its efforts.

In an article for Examiner.com, Jim Kouri reiterates the importance of the Pakistani military in accomplishing US national security goals. The Pakistani military is key in the battle to "close the terrorist safe haven" in the country's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Foreign Policy's Twining proposes an approach which takes into consideration the importance of the military. He warns that America must strengthen the civilian government "while at the same time not unduly threatening the prerogatives of the Army."

The Boston Globe believes that the recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan have created a rare opportunity for the United States to improve relations between the two countries. The article reiterates the need for America and Pakistan to overcome their mutual distrust and use the "common danger" to form a more mutually beneficial relationship.

However, Shamshad Ahmad believes Pakistan should develop the capacity for self-reliance. He states for The News International, "The best thing would have been to thank the US for its generosity and concern for Pakistan's democracy and development, and tell them that our people are not ready to accept any conditional aid."

Despite the unfavorable responses coming from Pakistan, head of the Pakistan Caucus in the House of Representatives, Sheila Jackson-Lee called upon Pakistan's National Assembly to endorse the bill. "Pakistan has consistently been a crucial ally in the fight against Al-Qaeda, and I expect this assistance package to enhance our already strong bilateral relationship."