Pakistan Paid $50,000 A Month For U.S. Lobbying After Operation Sindoor, Filings Show

Newly disclosed filings under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) have revealed the extensive and costly lobbying campaign undertaken by cash-strapped Pakistan in Washington following India's Operation Sindoor in May 2025. The military operation, launched in response to a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22 that killed 26 civilians, targeted terror camps and airbases in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) and other areas. Amid the crisis, Pakistan engaged multiple U.S.-based firms and think tanks to influence Congress, the executive branch, media, and policy circles, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars despite its ongoing economic difficulties.

One prominent contract, disclosed by Javelin Advisors LLC, shows a monthly retainer of $50,000 to represent Pakistan's positions on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, India-Pakistan relations, and broader regional issues. The agreement, effective from April 24—just two days after the Pahalgam attack—focused on direct communication with U.S. government officials and public outreach. Additional efforts included a framework document circulated in May proposing U.S.-Pakistan cooperation in rare earth minerals and critical metals, with an estimated commercial value of up to $1 trillion. The Embassy of Pakistan also hired Qorvis Holding Inc. in May for media relations and narrative development to shape perceptions of the conflict.

Further disclosures highlight sustained lobbying beyond the immediate crisis. The Islamabad Policy Research Institute, a think tank affiliated with Pakistan's National Security Division, spent $900,000 on public policy outreach in the U.S. through subcontractors like Hyperfocal Communications LLC and Team Eagle Consulting LLC, with activities aimed at improving bilateral ties. In October 2025, the Pakistani Embassy signed a new deal with Ervin Graves Strategy Group LLC for $25,000 per month over an initial three-month term, covering outreach to Congress, the executive branch, and think tanks, and promotion of trade, tourism, and mineral resources.

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These lobbying expenditures come as Pakistan grapples with severe economic challenges under its 24th IMF program, a $7 billion bailout following a near-default in 2023. The FARA filings expose the scale of Islamabad's diplomatic push to mitigate international criticism and seek U.S. intervention or restraint during the India-Pakistan standoff. Analysts note that the efforts reflect Pakistan's strategy to counter India's narrative of precise counter-terrorism action against infrastructure linked to groups operating from its soil.

The revelations underscore the growing geopolitical stakes in South Asia, where India has emphasized evidence-based accountability on terrorism while rejecting attempts to internationalize the Kashmir issue through lobbying. As Pakistan continues to navigate debt pressures and regional tensions, the documented U.S. outreach highlights the intersection of economic vulnerability, security concerns, and high-cost public diplomacy in Washington's corridors of power.

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