Amid Pakistani leadership’s angry criticism of a bill moved in Congress seeking the right to self-determination for people of Balochistan, the US on Sunday said it does not support independence for the province.

“The United States respects the territorial integrity of Pakistan. Members of Congress introduce legislation on numerous foreign affairs topics and these bills do not in any way imply US Government endorsement of any particular policy,” US embassy spokesman Robert Raines said in a statement. The statement came a day after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani condemned the resolution moved in the US House of Representatives by Congressman Dana Rohrabacher as an attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty.