H.R. 2311 — Pakistan Democracy Act

This section declares it to be the policy of the United States to support a democratic Pakistan—including free and fair elections—based on civilian rule, restoration of judicial independence, rule of law, human rights, and due process of law for all Pakistanis.

This section requires the Secretary of State, acting with the Secretary of the Treasury, to impose sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act on General Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, not later than 180 days after enactment. The President may waive this requirement by certifying to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that (1) military rule has ended in Pakistan and rule of law and civilian-led democracy has been restored, and (2) all wrongfully detained political detainees have been released.

This section directs the President, not later than 180 days after enactment, to identify individuals knowingly engaged in the wrongful persecution and imprisonment of political detainees in Pakistan—including former Prime Minister Imran Khan—or who significantly undermined democracy and furthered military rule there, including current and former government or military officials in leadership positions (e.g., law enforcement, intelligence, judicial), and renders such aliens inadmissible to the United States; ineligible for visas, admission, parole, or other benefits under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA); and subject to immediate revocation of any current visas or entry documentation. It requires the Secretary of State to brief specified congressional committees within 90 days after enactment on identifications made and supporting facts; authorizes the President to waive these measures on a case-by-case basis upon certifying to those committees that a waiver serves U.S. national interests or circumstances have changed; and defines terms including "alien" and "admission" (as under INA §101, 8 U.S.C. 1101), "appropriate committees of Congress," "foreign person," "immediate family members" (as immediate relatives under INA §201(b)(2)(A)(i), 8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i)), "knowingly," and "United States person."