PAKISTAN SPENDS A PACKET TO ENGAGE LOBBYING FIRM IN THE U.S.

An Islamabad-based thinktank, affiliated with the National Security Division (NSD), Government of Pakistan, has engaged a Washington-based lobbying company for a staggering fee of Pakistani Rupees (Rs) 41.61 crore, or $1,500,000.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

This is the first such process by the Pakistan government in more than one and a half years.

In July 2021, the Pakistan government had hired Robert Laurent of Grenier of Grenier Consulting LLC for lobbying. Grenier is a CIA veteran, who was also the CIA station chief in Islamabad. The said contract was renewed in 2022 for one year.

The potential impact of this new hiring is likely to be closely monitored by offices in New Delhi and other interested countries.

According to documents, the think-tank, Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI), headed by Dr Raza Muhammad, a retired twostar general of the Pakistan Army, who has served as the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Mauritius, has engaged Team Eagle Consulting, LLC, and also subcontracted Hyperfocal Communications to meet with US government officials on behalf of the NSD and conduct outreach to improve US-Pakistani relations.

The NSD, which functions as the Secretariat of the National Security Committee (NSC), is Pakistan's premier decision-making forum on national security.