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Pakistan has hired a US lobbying firm led by former Republican Congressman Tom Graves under a two-year contract aimed at advancing Islamabad’s diplomatic, economic and strategic interests in Washington.According to documents filed with the US department of justice, Pakistan’s embassy in Washington entered into a two-year agreement earlier this month with Ervin Graves Strategy Group. Under the contract, the firm will receive $50,000 per month to support Pakistan’s outreach efforts in the US, news agency PTI reported.The agreement mandates the firm to engage with the US Congress, executive branch agencies, policy institutions, industry stakeholders and “other relevant actors in the Washington policy environment”.Among its responsibilities, the lobbying group will monitor legislative and policy developments that could affect Pakistan’s status as a Major Non-Nato Ally of the US. It will also track issues related to sanctions, human rights and security assistance that may have implications for Islamabad.The firm has additionally been tasked with expanding Pakistan’s engagement with editorial boards and opinion sections of major media organisations and identifying policy voices, including lawmakers, think-tank experts and academics, who can help reinforce Pakistan’s strategic importance. The agreement also calls for organising receptions, roundtables and closed-door policy discussions involving US lawmakers, government officials and Pakistani representatives at the Pakistan Embassy in Washington.The lobbying firm will coordinate visits to Pakistan by members of Congress and congressional staff and provide briefings ahead of such trips. It has also been asked to facilitate participation by lawmakers and congressional staff at events hosted by Pakistan’s ambassador, including diplomatic and policy-focused gatherings.In addition, the firm will conduct outreach to members of Congress serving on committees dealing with foreign affairs, defence, trade, appropriations and national security, while providing strategic support aimed at increasing membership and participation in the Congressional Pakistani Caucus.The move comes amid Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts to position itself as a mediator in talks between Tehran and Washington over the US-Iran conflict, which has entered its fourth month and remains under a fragile ceasefire. However, a March Congressional report noted that more than a dozen terror groups continue to operate from Pakistan despite years of military operations.
