Over 40 US Lawmakers Write To Marco Rubio Over Human Rights Crisis Under Sharif–Munir Regime

Last Updated:December 04, 2025, 14:09 IST

The letter alleges rigged elections, intimidation of diaspora critics and a sweeping crackdown led by Pakistan’s military-backed government.

Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir with PM Shehbaz Sharif. (PTI)

In one of the strongest warnings yet from Washington, 44 members of the US Congress, led by Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Congressman Greg Casar, have written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sharply criticising Pakistan’s current political trajectory and directly naming Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir for what they call an “escalating campaign of transnational repression".

“We write to express urgent concern over the escalating campaign of transnational repression and worsening human rights crisis in Pakistan under the military-backed government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir," the letter said.

The letter marks one of the strongest bipartisan interventions on Pakistan in recent years, and signals growing impatience across the US political spectrum with the direction of the military-backed administration in Islamabad.

Lawmakers Question Why No Sanctions Have Been Imposed On Munir

In the document, the Congressmembers ask why the Trump administration has not yet imposed Global Magnitsky sanctions or visa restrictions on Munir despite what they describe as extensive evidence of political repression.

“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," the letter stated.

Allegations: Political Repression, Election Manipulation, Enforced Disappearances

The letter outlines a long list of concerns, including the manipulation of Pakistan’s 2024 election, the suppression of opposition parties, and the widespread use of enforced disappearances.

It cites the Pattan Report and findings from global watchdog organisations to argue that the electoral process was conducted under systematic military pressure, resulting in outcomes that critics have described as neither free nor credible.

According to the signatories, the period after the polls saw a rapid hollowing out of democratic institutions—parliament, the media and sections of the judiciary—replaced by what they call a “pliant civilian façade".

“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 US 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.

Cases Cited: Transnational Intimidation And Pressure On Families Of Critics

A significant section of the letter focuses on what the lawmakers describe as Pakistan’s transnational repression tactics, including intimidation of Pakistanis living abroad.

“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 document highlights multiple cases to illustrate this, including incidents involving the relatives of US-based musician Salman Ahmad, whose family members were allegedly abducted in Pakistan.

Concerns Over Military Courts And The State Of The Judiciary

The Congressmembers also flag the recent decision of Pakistan’s Supreme Court allowing civilians to be tried in military courts, calling it a major setback to judicial independence and due process.

According to them, peaceful dissent in Pakistan is increasingly treated as a criminal offence, with little prospect of relief through civilian judicial mechanisms.

Call For Release Of Imran Khan And Other Political Prisoners

The letter reiterates demands for the release of former prime minister Imran Khan and other detained political leaders. It frames their incarceration as part of a wider military-engineered repression aimed at erasing genuine democratic opposition and consolidating control before 2025 power reshuffles.

“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.

Questions For The White House: What Did Trump And Biden Convey?

Crucially, the lawmakers ask the White House to clarify whether President Donald Trump, during his meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and former President Joe Biden, during his meeting with Munir, raised concerns about human rights violations, election fraud, and suppression of dissent.

They warn that the administration risks creating the impression that Washington is implicitly endorsing or overlooking actions attributed to the Pakistani military leadership if these issues were not addressed.

A Rare, Blunt Warning On Pakistan’s Military Rule

The tone of the letter represents a rare, blunt critique of Pakistan’s military establishment from Capitol Hill. It reflects a deepening bipartisan frustration over what the lawmakers describe as sustained democratic backsliding, shrinking media freedoms, and the steady dismantling of civilian authority under the Munir-led structure.

News world Over 40 US Lawmakers Write To Marco Rubio Over Human Rights Crisis Under Sharif–Munir Regime

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