In a pivotal development during a congressional hearing on July 15, 2025, Republican Rep. Christopher H. Smith—co‑chair of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission—revealed that the U.S. Congress may soon urge President Trump’s administration to enforce sanctions against nations that violate religious freedom and fundamental human rights .
Smith emphasized Washington’s “big disappointment” in the lack of past sanctions, regardless of changing administrations. “One of the biggest disappointments…is the absence of sanctions,” he said, highlighting the perceived failure of the State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom (IRFA) to act decisively ().
Crucially, Smith cited the only instance where the U.S. penalized a head of government under IRFA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sanctioned in the wake of the 2002 Gujarat riots. “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,” he explained ().
The hearing underscored the broad misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, which fuel mob violence and forced conversions targeting Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Shia Muslims, and Ahmadiyyas. According to recent data, 344 new blasphemy cases were registered in Pakistan during 2024, resulting in multiple extrajudicial killings . Further, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reported “a worsening pattern of forced conversions among Pakistan’s Christian and Hindu women and girls,” while calls went unheeded in cases of vigilante attacks or vigilantism .
Smith issued a strong declaration to Pakistan’s representatives: “That’s it. We’ve got 18 sanctions here, and we are going to impose them on you.” The IRFA empowers the U.S. to impose targeted sanctions, visa bans, and asset freezes against individuals and entities responsible for systematic religious persecution ().
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Experts at the hearing proposed formal designation of Pakistan as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) under IRFA. A March 2025 USCIRF report noted worsening conditions in Pakistan, urging U.S. action, including sanctions, legal reforms, and binding agreements to protect religious minorities. The panel recommended concrete steps like repealing blasphemy laws or making blasphemy a bailable offense with adequate legal safeguards .
While no official sanctions have yet been imposed, Smith intimated the likelihood of new Congressional resolutions directed at the Trump administration. Whether these lead to tangible action will depend on IRFA executive decisions—but the message from Congress is unequivocal.