Pakistan looks for paid lobbyist in US after recent diplomatic disasters

Washington: Pakistan is looking for a paid lobbyist in the US following Washington's refusal to subsidise an F-16 deal and its support to induct India into the NSG, it was reported on Monday.

Pakistan embassy spokesman Nadeem Hotiana confirmed to Dawn that Islamabad was looking for a lobbyist but had not yet taken any decision.

The daily described the two issues as "two recent diplomatic disasters".

US Justice Department record shows that the last law firm to lobby for Pakistan in Washington was Locke Lord Strategies, Dawn said.

Pakistan failed to renew its contract with the firm in July 2013, about a month after a new government took office in Islamabad.

The embassy was paying $75,000 a month to this group, which is the lobbying arm of the law firm Locke Lord.

Dawn said that the firm had little influence on the Hill. It proved ineffective in lobbying the US media for Pakistan. After Nawaz Sharif took office, Pakistani diplomats were told to do the lobbying themselves.

But the general perception in Washington, particularly on the Hill, was that Pakistan was not sincere vis-a-vis the US.