Sponsors (100)
Requires a presidential report naming Pakistani officials tied to human-rights abuses and authorizes Global Magnitsky sanctions against them, with narrow exceptions; sunsets 9/30/2030.
Official title: To impose sanctions relating to undermining democracy in Pakistan.
Introduced September 10, 2025 by Bill Huizenga · Last progress September 10, 2025
The bill strengthens U.S. leverage to promote human rights and democratic norms in Pakistan (including targeted sanctions and oversight) and protects humanitarian aid, but does so at the risk of straining bilateral security and economic ties, imposing compliance costs, and creating programmatic uncertainty unless Congress renews authorities by 2030.
Pakistanis (especially voters, women, youth, minorities) and civil society will benefit from increased U.S. diplomatic pressure to protect civil liberties, free and fair elections, and press freedom, which can reduce suppression and support democratic participation.
Pakistani citizens and civilian governments could see stronger rule of law and reduced military overreach because the bill affirms civilian control of the military.
Victims of abuses and accountable governance are supported because U.S. officials can identify and target senior Pakistani officials responsible for gross human-rights abuses, enabling sanctions and accountability measures.
U.S. and Pakistani governments — and thus U.S. taxpayers and regional security partners — could face reduced cooperation on counterterrorism and broader regional stability due to heightened pressure or sanctions.
Ordinary Pakistanis, low-income communities, and regional trade partners could suffer economic disruption (reduced aid, sanctions, trade impacts), harming livelihoods and economic ties with spillover effects for U.S. interests.
Low-income beneficiaries, federal/state/local agencies, and program recipients face loss of services and planning uncertainty because all programs and authorities created by the Act expire on September 30, 2030 unless Congress reauthorizes them.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Requires the President to report to Congress within 180 days naming senior current or former Pakistani government, military, or security officials credibly linked to gross human rights violations or actions undermining Pakistan’s democracy, and permits use of Global Magnitsky sanctions against those individuals and entities (with narrow humanitarian, diplomatic, and national security exceptions). It affirms U.S. policy supporting democracy and human rights in Pakistan, condemns suppression of civil and political rights, and sunsets on September 30, 2030. The legislation directs increased U.S. engagement to promote civilian control, electoral integrity, and fundamental freedoms, and defines the congressional committees that will receive required reports (House Foreign Affairs; Senate Foreign Relations).