Bill in US Congress seeks sanctions on Pakistan army chief, others over 'rights situation'

Republican Congressman Joe Wilson and Democrat Jimmy Panetta on Monday have introduced a bipartisan bill in the US House of Representatives, seeking to sanction Pakistani state functionaries over alleged human rights violations and persecution of former premier Imran Khan.

The proposed legislation in the bill, titled the 'Pakistan Democracy Act' calls for sanctions on Pakistan’s army chief within 180 days under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Violators of this act can be subjected to denial of entry to the United States (US) and ineligibility for U.S. visas.

The draft bill further calls on the US administration to identify key figures involved in the alleged suppression of political opposition in Pakistan and add them to a sanctions list. Additionally, it grants the US president the authority to lift these sanctions if Pakistan ceases military interference in governance and frees all “wrongfully detained political prisoners.”

On Monday, Wilson took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce the “Pakistan Democracy Act,” introduced in the House of Representatives, writing, “I am grateful to introduce the PAKISTAN DEMOCRACY ACT to sanction those undermining democracy in Pakistan!”

In June 2024, a resolution with overwhelming bipartisan support, with 98 percent votes in favour, was passed in the House of Representatives. That resolution called on then-Democratic US President Joe Biden to press Pakistan to uphold democracy and the rule of law. However, the Biden administration has not taken any action in response.

While acknowledging concern over the bill, Pakistani diplomats remained hopeful that the bill would not gain enough traction to be implemented, a leading newspaper has reported. Diplomats pointed out that the U.S. still considers Pakistan an important security partner, citing Islamabad’s cooperation in the recent arrest and deportation of an Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K) terrorist, Mohammad Sharifullah.  

In a historic joint speech to Congress earlier this month, U.S. President Donald Trump thanked the Pakistani government for assisting in the apprehension of the mastermind behind the deadly 2021 Kabul airport Abbey Gate attack.

In February, Wilson and Congressman August Pfluger had written a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling for the release of Imran Khan. 

The letter read, “You (Marco Rubio) recall that Imran Khan was Prime Minister in your first term, and you both shared a strong relationship. He is widely beloved in Pakistan, and his release would usher in a new era of U.S.-Pakistan relations with freedom value at its core”.

Drawing a parallel between Imran Khan and U.S. President Donald J. Trump as victims of “judicial abuse,” the letter stated that Imran Khan was imprisoned on trumped-up charges.