US Congressman drafts bill to sanction Imran Khan’s 'persecutors'

Republican Congressman Joe Wilson announced that he is preparing to introduce the ‘Pakistan Democracy Act’ in US Congress to impose sanctions on those responsible for the conviction of former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan.

In a statement on X, Wilson stated that the proposed legislation would target individuals within the Pakistani government involved in Khan’s "persecution and imprisonment."

“I am grateful to share that I am drafting the PAKISTAN DEMOCRACY ACT to ban from the United States those in the Pakistan military government responsible for the wrongful persecution and imprisonment of Imran Khan,” he posted on X.

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The congressman further emphasised that the draft of the Pakistan Democracy Act is in its initial stages and aims to hold accountable Pakistani officials who played a role in Khan’s legal battles and imprisonment.

In a letter addressed to US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on February 11, Wilson stated that the proposed act would reinforce democratic principles and human rights protections in Pakistan.

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Wilson, a member of the Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees in the US House of Representatives, also serves as the chairman of the Republican Policy Committee.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, met with US Congressmen Joe Wilson and Rob Bresnahan in Washington on January 23, 2025. Shortly after the meeting, Congressman Joe Wilson posted "Free Imran Khan" on his X account.

Wilson's post, following his interaction with a senior Pakistani government official, has been analysed by some political experts as a reflection of former prime minister Imran Khan's enduring popularity.