Forty-four Democratic members of the US House of Representatives have written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding immediate sanctions on senior Pakistani officials over what they described as an “escalating campaign of transnational repression and worsening human rights crisis in Pakistan”. The effort is led by Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congressman Greg Casar, and includes signatures from Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, two Muslim members of the House known for their advocacy on Palestinian and other Muslim issues.
In the letter, made public on Wednesday, the lawmakers called for targeted measures, including visa bans and asset freezes on officials responsible for threatening US citizens and residents who criticise Pakistan’s military establishment, as well as their family members in Pakistan.