On July 15, 2025, US Congressman Christopher H. Smith signaled a push for stronger measures against nations violating human rights. “The US Congress may soon urge President Donald Trump’s administration to consider imposing sanctions on countries that suppress religious freedom and violate human rights,” Smith suggested during a Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) hearing on Pakistan.
“One of the biggest disappointments — regardless of who is in the White House or at the State Department — is the absence of sanctions,” said Smith, TLHRC co-chair, noting “the only individual ever sanctioned under US religious freedom laws was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following the 2002 Gujarat riots.”
He added: “We are going to call on the Irfa office to consider imposing [sanctions] — especially in light of the terrible acts committed against people of various faiths,” referencing the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) enforced by the State Department’s Irfa office, which “authorises the US government to designate and penalise countries that engage in or tolerate severe religious persecution.”
“That’s it. We’ve got 18 sanctions here, and we are going to impose them on you,” Smith declared, addressing Pakistan’s human rights situation. Testimonies came from Amnesty International’s Ben Linden, PTI leader Zulfi Bukhari, Jared Genser of Perseus Strategies, and Sadiq Amini of Afghanistan Impact Network.
Congressman James McGovern echoed concerns, stating: “A vibrant Pakistani community in Massachusetts engages me all the time, and quite frankly, they are worried about the signals coming from our government right now,” and “They need to know that people are watching. They need to know we don’t like what we are hearing.”
Linden highlighted Balochistan, stating: “Dr Mahrang and other Baloch detainees should be freed,” and “Ahmadis and other religious minorities are being targeted while local authorities fail to protect them.” He noted “over 300 new blasphemy cases were registered” in 2024, with “Several of the accused were killed extrajudicially.”
Genser urged engagement, stating: “We need to talk about the tragedy that Pakistan is today in terms of human rights.” X posts reflect diaspora concerns, aligning with the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s 2024 report on declining civic freedoms.