In what may look like a coincidence or pre-planned, it has been revealed that former Pak envoy to the US, Asad Majeed Khan and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan hired the same lobbying firm in America.
Just five days before PTI Chairman Imran Khan disclosed the alleged regime change conspiracy, former ambassador Asad Majeed Khan -- who was the architect behind the cypher -- hired a lobbying firm to promote Pak-US relations, reported The News International.
Notably, both of them hired the same firm -- Fenton Arlok LLC.
The Pakistan Embassy in the United States hired the services of Fenton Arlok LLC on March 21, 2022, to promote US-Pak relations and signed an agreement with the firm, reported The News International.
As per the agreement, the embassy will pay USD 30,000 monthly to the lobbying firm for its services. The agreement was initially signed for six months from March 21 to September 20, 2022, according to which the embassy had to make a two-month advance payment.
Interestingly, on March 27, 2022 -- five days after the signing of the agreement -- the-then Prime Minister Imran Khan held a public rally and showed a copy of an alleged document related to a foreign conspiracy against his government, reported The News International.
Later, it was revealed that then Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Asad Majeed Khan had sent a cypher to the Imran-led government, indicating worsening relations between the two countries.
The cypher allegedly includes the minutes of the meeting held between Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan and US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Donald Lu on March 7, 2022, two weeks before hiring the lobbying firm.
Five months later, in August 2022, Imran Khan's party also hired the services of the same firm that was hired by Asad Majeed Khan to promote PTI's positive image in the United States.
The PTI, however, as per the agreement, paid USD 25,000 per month to the lobbying firm, reported The News International.
The PTI hired the lobbying firm to engage and consult with informed individuals in both the public and private sectors in the US and Pakistan to make determinations as to how constructive relations between the US and Pakistan might be enhanced and provide advice to the client and his associates as to how this might be accomplished.
Apart from the PTI and Pakistan Embassy in the United States, a non-profit NGO Council on Pakistan Relations executed a verbal agreement with the same lobbying firm Fenton Arlok LLC, reported The News International.
According to the agreement, the lobbying firm would inform American and international media about the Council's desire for productive diplomatic and economic relations between Pakistan and the United States.
The Fenton and Arlok LLC, according to the agreement with the embassy, was given the task of distributing information to and briefing journalists on Pakistan's desire for positive relations with the United States, placing articles and broadcasts, arranging interviews and advising on the social media.
( With inputs from ANI )
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