Is US going to impose sanctions on Pakistan military brass under Magnitsky Act?

U.S. Congressman Ro Khanna has called for American sanctions against Pakistan’s military leaders, including Chief of the Army Staff General Asim Munir, for transnational repression under the Global Magnitsky Act.

The Global Magnitsky Act of 2016, part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2017, authorizes the U.S. government to sanction foreign government officials worldwide who are human rights offenders, freeze their assets, and ban them from entering the U.S.

Numerous individuals from countries such as Russia, China, Myanmar, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, South Sudan, Turkey, Nicaragua, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, and Libya have been sanctioned under this act for their involvement in human rights abuses and corruption.

In a video message posted on X by Just Foreign Policy (@justfp), Congressman Khanna stated, “Pakistan’s military ruler Asim Munir is now targeting American families of pro-democracy activists. We all know the elections in Pakistan were rigged, and Imran Khan is still in jail. The United States needs to sanction Asim Munir and any military leader in Pakistan who is targeting Americans.”

Earlier, Rep. Khanna led U.S. lawmakers in alleging that the Pakistani military had “rigged” the recent general elections to “prop up” its candidate and deny victory to the jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. Khanna, a Democratic lawmaker, claimed that the Pakistani military is supporting the current prime minister despite the public voting for Imran Khan. He also urged the Biden administration not to recognize an illegitimate government in Pakistan.