File photo. Aamir Qureshi—AFP
The U.S. chapter of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has hired another lobbying firm in the U.S. to help “protect” party chief Imran Khan, seemingly rubbishing once more its narrative of Washington instigating a “regime change” in Pakistan to bring the incumbent government into power.
In a bid to avoid a vote of no-confidence that eventually led to his ouster, Khan had last year alleged that the U.S. had “conspired” to have him removed from office, waving a piece of paper during a public rally that he alleged was “evidence” proving this. However, this has repeatedly been denied by Washington and Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, and the PTI chief has subsequently shifted to blaming his ouster on an ever-increasing number of individuals, ranging from former Army chief Lt. Gen. (retd.) Qamar Javed Bajwa to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and even caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
In recent months, recognizing the damage done to its ties with Washington by its “regime change” narrative, the PTI has strived to mend relations, hiring lobbying firms in the U.S. and engaging in meetings with U.S. diplomats in Pakistan; earlier, Khan had claimed diplomats had “no reason” to meet opposition leaders.
According to documents filed with the U.S. Justice Department—made public by former Pakistani envoy Husain Haqqani—PTI USA signed a contract with Washington-based Praia Consultants LLC on Feb. 21. Initially slated to span six months, the agreement can be extended for another six months with mutual consent, with the firm to be paid $8,333/month for its services.
The contract, which is available on social media, states that the firm would “provide expert advice regarding the client’s relationship with the U.S. government and institutions.” It would also organize meetings between the PTI and “several key U.S. decision-makers and will provide guidance in terms of the content of the meetings.”
Responding to social media criticism over the PTI’s hiring of a lobbying firm, party adviser Atif Khan wrote on Twitter that the party’s USA chapter was paying the firm. “It’s our money that we are spending to protect Imran Khan,” he said, further telling daily Dawn that the firm would the party make “Americans aware of the threat” to Khan’s life.
This is the second time in the past year that the PTI has hired a lobbying firm in the U.S. Last year, the party had hired Fenton/Arlook for $25,000/month to provide public relations services, including but not limited to distributing information to and briefing journalists, placing articles and broadcasts, arranging interviews with representatives or supporters of PTI, advising on social media efforts and other such public relations services.
The party’s efforts appear to be paying off, as several U.S. lawmakers and influential figures have spoken in favor of Khan in recent weeks, indulging in the same kind of “interference” in Pakistan’s internal affairs that the PTI chief has repeatedly slammed. Criticizing the latest agreement, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said it had exposed the PTI’s “double standards and hypocrisy.”
In a posting on Twitter, she clarified that there was nothing wrong in hiring lobbyists, but noted that it was “bizarre” from a party that had built an entire narrative against “meddling” from the U.S. “If that was the case, why are they now locked in a desperate attempt to buy the influence of the U.S. decision-makers after the failure of the ‘Cipher Conspiracy’ narrative and earlier lobbying efforts? PTI’s double standards and U-turns have been exposed many times,” she added.