'Somehow Stop': How Pakistan Lobbied In US After India Launched Operation Sindoor
The documents that NDTV reviewed showed that Pakistani diplomats and defence officials pursued over 50 meetings from senior US officials, legislators and influential media organisations.
The Pakistan government engaged in an extensive lobbying campaign after India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, according to official US state documents accessed by NDTV.
The air strike and missile operation was conducted by India in response to the Pahalgam terror attack where 26 civilians were killed in Jammu & Kashmir by terrorists from the Resistance Front, a proxy of Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba.
The documents that NDTV reviewed showed that Pakistani diplomats and defence officials pursued over 50 meetings from senior-ranking US administration officials, legislators and influential media organisations.
These meetings were sought out between the launch of Operation Sindoor and the complete execution of the ceasefire between the two nations.
The records which were filed under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act, pointed towards Pakistan's ambassador to the US and its defence staff constantly reaching out to 60 officials and intermediaries via e-mails, phone calls and in-person meetings.
The stated goal was to "somehow stop" India's military operation by requesting the US to intervene. The outreach campaign involved Congress, the Pentagon, the State Department and notable US journalists.
Topics such as Kashmir, regional security, rare earth minerals, and wider bilateral relations were the topics that were reported to be under discussion between Pakistan's representatives and these entities. The representatives also pursued interviews and background briefings with major US media organisations.
Multiple entries described these actions as "ongoing representation of Pakistan", which highlighted the vigour and determination of the campaign.
These lobbying efforts were part of Pakistan's broader efforts to consolidate its lobbying campaign according to the New York Times.
This involved inking contracts with six Washington lobbying firms for $5 million a year in order to gain access to the Trump administration and curry favour for trade and political motives.
As per the investigation from the NYT, Pakistan had considerably increased its spending on lobbying in April and May, demarcating at least three times more funding than India during the same period.
