Over 40 US lawmakers press Rubio to sanction Pakistani officials over ‘transnational repression’

US lawmakers seek sanctions on Pakistan

Forty-two US lawmakers, 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, citing what they describe as an “escalating campaign of transnational repression and worsening human rights crisis in Pakistan” under the military-backed government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir.

In the bipartisan letter released on Wednesday, the legislators called for specific punitive actions, including visa restrictions and asset freezes on officials accused of threatening US citizens and residents who speak out against Pakistan’s military, as well as targeting their family members in Pakistan.

“In recent years, US 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 further warned that Pakistan is sliding deeper into authoritarian rule, alleging that opposition figures have been jailed without charge, journalists harassed or driven into exile, and ordinary people arrested over social media posts. They also raised alarms about increased repression of women, religious minorities and ethnic groups—especially in Balochistan—who they say face disproportionate targeting.

"This authoritarian system in Pakistan is sustained through relentless repression. 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 marginalised ethnic groups--particularly in Balochistan--face disproportionate violence and surveillance," the letter read.

Citing specific cases, the letter highlighted Virginia-based investigative journalist Ahmad Noorani, whose brothers were abducted and held for over a month after his reporting on military corruption, and Pakistani-American musician Salman Ahmad, whose brother-in-law was kidnapped until US authorities intervened.

Pointing to Pakistan's 2024 elections, the Members cite irregularities raised in the independent Pattan Report and note that the US State Department had expressed concern and called for a full investigation. They argue that political developments since then reflect a broader authoritarian crackdown, including the decision to allow civilians to be tried in military courts.

"The 2024 elections--widely condemned for irregularities and documented in the Pattan Report, an independent Pakistani civil society study monitoring election irregularities--installed a pliant civilian facade. The U.S. State Department echoed these concerns, publicly expressing alarm over reported irregularities and called for a full investigation into the electoral process. These developments are emblematic of a broader authoritarian crackdown. Under military pressure, Pakistan's Supreme Court authorised civilians to be tried in military courts, erasing judicial independence and institutionalising impunity," the letter stated.

The US lawmakers also called for the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other political prisoners, noting that the US State Department itself had raised alarm over electoral irregularities.

"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. 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," it further stated.

(With ANI inputs)