Hiring a Lobbying firm in the US by PTI has irked PML-N

News Report
The Minister of State for Petroleum and PML-N leader Musadik Malik alleged that Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) had hired the services of a firm, “Faton Group,” in the US for lobbying purposes on behalf of the party with US Senators, Congressmen, and administration.

At a press conference here on Saturday, he said that Imran was no more ‘truthful and honest’ as he did not want to be asked about the foreign funding of his party.

PML-N Minister criticises Khan for hiring Lobbying firm in the US

The Minister added that it was strange that, on the one hand, the PTI chairman said he was the victim of a US conspiracy and hired a US lobby firm on the other.

He further said that he should answer the public why PTI hired the lobbying firm of David Faton. The latter was the founder of the organization “No Nukes,” which was against those countries, including Pakistan’s nuclear technology.

The Minister said that Imran had never shared the letter with anybody, which he had waved at PTI’s rally, saying he had received it from the USA.

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He had warned of severe consequences in case a no-trust motion against him was passed in the National Assembly. All institutions, including the ISPR, had categorically denied a conspiracy behind the ouster of the PTI government, he recalled.

Musadik said, “What were you (Imran) afraid of if you had done nothing wrong?”

The Minister said it was unfortunate that a court had remanded PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz in police custody for 45 days and Khaqan Abbasi for nine months.

However, only a two-day physical remand was given to PTI’s Shehbaz Gill, who had incited people against the state institute.

There has been a tug of war between PTI and PML-N after the coalition government comes into power.

What do lobbying firms do?

Pakistan has a history of hiring lobbying firms in the United States (US) to hire the lobbying services of senators and congressmen.

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had also hired lobbying firms in the United States to build an image of PPP in powerful circles of the United States.

Even, the PTI government had also been working with lobbying firms in the US to build an image of Pakistan and boost relations with people in power corridors in the United States (US).

Why does PTI hire the services of a Lobbying firm in the US?

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan had alleged US government hatched a conspiracy against him to topple his government. Now, PTI had hired the services of a lobbying firm in the US to normalize relations with the Biden government.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan visited Russia which annoyed the United States (US) and its allies in European Union (EU). Even in Pakistan, ambassadors from EU countries had written a letter to Imran Khan’s government and protested over his visit to Russia.

Will a Lobbying firm in the US be helpful to normalize relations?

Now, PTI leader Imran Khan had also stopped criticizing the US government after he realized the US had a key role in Pakistani politics.

Pakistan has been a decades-long ally of the US and therefore, US authorities and government had a key penetration in Pakistani power corridors.

On the other side, the Pakistani economy is mainly dependent on the US, EU and Middle East countries who have also been allies of the US.

The key contributors to the Pakistani economy were proceeds through exports and remittances. These two sources also depended on the US and its allied countries.

Even, Saudi Arabia and other Middle East countries were under the influence of the United States. Therefore, it was difficult for Pakistan to be neutral in such a situation.