Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Despite its sinking economy, hyperinflation, mounting debts, and its millions of citizens fighting for basic needs, Pakistan is burning American dollars for an image makeover in the US and end its international isolation as a pariah state, the media reported on Saturday.
For this, the Islamist nation, the global terror nursery, has signed a nearly USD 1.3 million lobbying deal in Washington to refurbish its global image and push its strategic interests in US policy, especially in West and South Asia.
This is pathetic. When millions of Pakistanis are struggling to make ends meet, Islamabad will splurge money on a Washington lobbying blitz rather than on welfare schemes at home. Its attempt to craft a global image stands in stark contrast to the grim reality on the ground.
According to reports, Pakistan’s embassy in Washington signed a two-year agreement worth USD 1.3 million (PKR 36.21 crore) with Erwin Graves Strategy Group LLC on May 1, 2026.
Through this lobbying campaign, Pakistan seeks greater influence on US policy makers. Islamabad aims to use the contract to reshape its narrative in Washington and gain traction in US policy narratives.
The firm will target key US Congressional committees, influential caucuses, policy experts, and investors on behalf of Pakistan. It will also pitch Pakistan as a partner in regional stability and counterterrorism, while promoting US investment in critical minerals, IT, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, and infrastructure.
This fresh lobbying push comes as Pakistan faces sustained international scrutiny over its terror sponsorship, and human rights record, particularly in Baluchistan where allegations of enforced disappearances and military excesses persist.
“These factors often undercut Islamabad’s outreach in Western capitals, where lawmakers and think tanks closely track Pakistan’s record on democracy, terrorism financing, and minority rights,” Surinder Zurahi, analyst-cum-geo strategic expert based in Washington, was quoted as saying.
Human rights groups have repeatedly flagged extrajudicial killings, curbs on free speech, and the use of anti-terror laws against dissenters in Baluchistan.
The Cover-up
Pakistan’s chief concern is to somehow cover up its tarnished image of being a terror-friendly, debt-seeking nation. Islamabad aims to showcase its alleged contributions to counter-terrorism and regional stability, thereby securing continued US support for its military and security efforts—despite the fact that the US Marines had killed the world’s most wanted terrorist, Osama bin-Laden, kept hiding in Pakistan itself, in May 2011!
According to the lobbying contract, effective May 1, 2026, the Pakistani Embassy in Washington has engaged the US-based firm Ervin Graves Strategy Group, LLC, for a monthly fee of USD 50,000 dollars. The agreement was formally executed by Tom Graves, Chief Executive Officer of Ervin Graves Strategy LLC, and Rizwan Saeed Sheikh, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States.
The contract specifically tasks the firm with reshaping Washington’s perception of Pakistan, focusing heavily on presenting the country as a reliable trade and counter-terrorism partner while attempting to distance Islamabad from its long-standing reputational challenges.
The PR firm is mandated to undertake a comprehensive, multi-layered advocacy campaign across the highest corridors of American power. The firm will arrange high-level meetings with White House and Pentagon officials while working to influence members of the US Congress and key congressional committees overseeing defence, trade, and foreign policy.
A core component of the strategy involves organising receptions, roundtables, and closed-door policy discussions at the Pakistani Embassy in Washington between US lawmakers, staff from key ministries, and Pakistani officials. Furthermore, the firm will coordinate with and brief American lawmakers and congressional staff ahead of sponsored trips to Pakistan, an effort designed to shape the ground narrative before they visit the region.
Non-NATO ‘frenemy’
The primary strategic objective of the agreement is to protect Pakistan’s self-claimed status as a “major Non-NATO ally” of the West, which, however, suspects Pakistan—due to its close proximity with the “Axis of Evil,” China, North Korea, and Iran—as an unreliable ‘frenemy’.
For its image makeover, the contract explicitly directs the lobbying firm to place particular emphasis on threats emanating from Afghanistan, another former Pakistani ally until recent months. By highlighting these external vulnerabilities, Islamabad aims to showcase its ‘contributions’ to counter-terrorism and regional stability, thereby securing continued US support for its military and security efforts.
This heavy reliance on the Afghanistan issue suggests a calculated effort by the current regime to leverage cross-border security dynamics to strengthen its strategic partnership with Washington—to be potentially directed against India.
Simultaneously, the PR firm is tasked with monitoring legislative risks under the Leahy Law and potential human rights-related sanctions. This involves managing international fallout and scrutiny arising from alleged human rights abuses by the Pakistan Army in the volatile regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan.
The firm will attempt to counter these concerns by aggressively pushing pro-Pakistan articles, commentary, and media narratives through direct engagement with the editorial boards of major US media houses and powerful political caucuses.
India
New Delhi views this PR contract aimed at masking deeper institutional vulnerabilities rather than addressing the root causes of Pakistan’s international isolation. Analysts point out that by spending substantial financial resources on image management, Washington access, and congressional junkets, Islamabad is attempting to downplay systemic human rights concerns, particularly in its western provinces.
This strategy is seen as a continuation of selective counter-terrorism policies, where certain militant groups are tolerated, sheltered, or even sponsored to be used against India, while others face crackdowns.
Also, experts note that the allocation of scarce state resources for expensive foreign public relations campaigns comes at a time when Pakistan is grappling with severe internal economic distress. Intelligence sources emphasise that opting for high-priced diplomacy over genuine economic reforms and regional stabilisation indicates a preference for historical, rent-seeking diplomatic models.
Ultimately, while the agreement aims to burnish Pakistan’s credentials on Capitol Hill, it underscores a reliance on external image management rather than the substantive governance shifts required to build long-term trust in Washington.