H.R. 5271 — Pakistan Freedom and Accountability Act

This section states congressional findings concerning U.S.-Pakistan relations; Pakistan's commitments to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; military influence on politics and elections, including the 2018 and 2024 general elections; human rights issues such as unlawful killings, forced disappearances, restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly, and association; the 26th constitutional amendment, military service extensions, military courts, and preventive detention laws; and the importance of civilian control over the military and interdependence of democracy, development, rule of law, and human rights.

This section states Congress's policy of (1) affirming strong support for democracy in Pakistan, including free and fair elections reflecting the will of the people; (2) calling on the President and Secretary of State to strengthen engagement with Pakistan's government to ensure democracy, human rights, and the rule of law are upheld; (3) urging Pakistan's government to uphold democratic and electoral institutions, human rights, the rule of law, and fundamental guarantees of due process, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, and freedom of speech; and (4) condemning attempts to suppress the people's participation in democracy, including through harassment, intimidation, violence, arbitrary detention, restrictions on internet and telecommunications access, or violations of human, civil, or political rights.

This section requires the President, not later than 180 days after enactment, to submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees identifying (1) any senior or former senior officials of Pakistan's government, military, or security forces responsible for gross human rights violations based on credible evidence; (2) any such officials who have committed or directed gross human rights violations associated with undermining democracy in Pakistan; and (3) entities owned or controlled by them. The report may be submitted in classified form. This section further authorizes the President to impose any sanctions available under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against persons identified in the report, with exceptions for compliance with U.S. international obligations (including the UN Headquarters Agreement), humanitarian assistance and related transactions, and authorized U.S. intelligence, law enforcement, or national security activities.