WASHINGTON - US LAWMAKERS on Thursday passed a giant Pentagon spending bill that sets tough new restrictions on military aid to Pakistan, where top officials are already fuming over previous limits.

The move came as Pakistani troops fought through the sixth day of a major assault against Taleban fighters in the restive Afghan border region with officials saying 137 militants and 18 soldiers had been killed since Saturday.

The Senate voted 68-29 in favour of a US$680 billion (S$952 billion) defence spending bill for fiscal year 2010, which sailed through the House of Representatives by a 281-146 margin on Oct 8 and now goes to President Barack Obama.

The new limits include efforts to track where US military hardware sent to Pakistan ends up, as well as a warning that US aid to Pakistan must not upset 'the balance of power in the region' - a reference to tensions with India.

The measure's chief authors, Senators Robert Menendez and Bob Corker, praised Pakistan for its help routing extremists but said they wanted to be sure US military aid goes to fight the 'war on terrorism'.

But the vote could worsen a flare-up between Washington and Islamabad about strings attached to US dollars, military training, and hardware, with Pakistani officials bitterly complaining of US interference in domestic affairs. -- AFP