Washington, D.C. [US], December 4 (ANI): Forty-two members of the U.S. Congress, led by Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congressman Greg Casar, have urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to impose immediate sanctions on senior Pakistani officials for what they described as an “escalating campaign of transnational repression” and a worsening human rights crisis under the military-backed government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir.
In a bipartisan letter released on Wednesday, the lawmakers called for targeted measures—including visa bans and asset freezes—against officials accused of threatening U.S. citizens and residents who criticize Pakistan’s military establishment, as well as against the family members of those critics still living in Pakistan.
“In recent years, U.S. citizens and residents who have spoken out against authoritarian abuses in Pakistan have faced threats, intimidation, and harassment—often extending to their families in Pakistan. These tactics include arbitrary detentions, coercion, and retaliatory violence, targeting diaspora individuals and their relatives,” the letter stated.
The lawmakers warned that Pakistan is undergoing a deepening authoritarian crisis, citing instances where opposition leaders have been detained without charge, journalists intimidated or forced into exile, and ordinary citizens arrested over social media activity. They added that women, religious minorities, and marginalized ethnic groups—particularly in Balochistan—face disproportionate repression.
“This authoritarian system in Pakistan is sustained through relentless repression,” the letter read. “Opposition leaders are held without charge, denied fair trial, and kept in indefinite pretrial detention. Independent journalists are harassed, abducted, or forced into exile. Ordinary citizens are arrested for social media posts, while women, religious minorities, and marginalized ethnic groups—particularly in Balochistan—face disproportionate violence and surveillance.”
The letter cited specific cases, including that of Virginia-based investigative journalist Ahmad Noorani, whose brothers were abducted and held for more than a month after he reported on military corruption, and Pakistani-American musician Salman Ahmad, whose brother-in-law was kidnapped until U.S. authorities intervened.
Referencing Pakistan’s 2024 elections, the lawmakers pointed to irregularities documented in the independent Pattan Report and noted that the U.S. State Department had expressed concern and called for a full investigation. They argued that subsequent political developments—including the authorization allowing civilians to be tried in military courts—reflect a broader crackdown.
“The 2024 elections—widely condemned for irregularities and documented in the Pattan Report, an independent Pakistani civil society study—installed a pliant civilian façade,” the letter stated. “The U.S. State Department echoed these concerns, publicly expressing alarm over reported irregularities and calling for a full investigation. These developments are emblematic of a broader authoritarian crackdown. Under military pressure, Pakistan’s Supreme Court authorized civilians to be tried in military courts, erasing judicial independence and institutionalizing impunity.”
The lawmakers also called for the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other political prisoners, noting the State Department’s own concerns over electoral integrity.
“We urge the Administration to swiftly impose measures, such as visa bans and asset freezes, against officials credibly perpetrating systematic repression, transnational repression, and undermining judicial independence,” the letter continued. “Such steps, alongside calls for the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other political prisoners, would reinforce U.S. commitment to human rights, protect American citizens from transnational repression, and promote regional stability.”
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