Washington, July 1: As the Biden administration accelerates the pace of complete withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, Pakistan seems to have stepped up its lobbying and public relations efforts here to redefine its ties with the US.
A former congressional liaison for former president Donald Trump‘s 2016 campaign who later lobbied the administration on behalf of then-Congolese President Joseph Kabila is now representing Pakistani interests in the US.
Adnan Jalil has registered his firm Alpha Strategies as a lobbyist for the Council on Pakistan Relations, a nonprofit started by Michigan-based Pakistani-American healthcare entrepreneurs Mohammad Ashraf Qazi, Adil Jamal Akhtar and Iqbal Abdul Nasir.
Jalil is lobbying for the passage of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Economic Development Act, a bipartisan bill from Senators Chris Van Hollen, Todd Young and Maria Cantwell.
The bill calls for the establishment of Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s border regions to allow textile and apparel goods from these areas to enter the United States duty-free.
“As American troops leave Afghanistan, we have a strong interest in encouraging all parties to achieve a peaceful settlement and political reconciliation that can bring stability to this war-torn and war-weary area,” Van Hollen said in a statement.
The US and the Taliban have signed a landmark deal in Doha on 29 February, 2020 following multiple rounds of negotiations to bring lasting peace in Afghanistan and allow US troops to return home, effectively drawing curtains on America’s longest war.
As a member of the House of Representatives, Hollen authored similar legislation that passed in 2009.
Earlier this month, Washington-based public relations firm Fenton/Arlook registered for the council under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) to “inform American and international media about the council’s desire for productive diplomatic and economic relations between Pakistan and the United States.”
According to the FARA filing, its activities will be limited to communicating with the US and global media on the importance of positive diplomatic and economic relations between Pakistan and the US.
“This will include dissemination of background materials to journalists, writing Oped’s, placing spokespeople in media, and normal public relations activities,” it said.
The firm, which was incorporated this March in Washington, is co-owned by Fenton Communications founder David Fenton and Fenton advocacy campaigns chief Ira Arlook.
According to the registration, Fenton/Arlook has a six-month verbal agreement with the council for USD 25,000 per month plus out of pocket expenses such as travel.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan recently said that his country was seeking a “civilised” and “even-handed” relationship with Washington like the one that existed between the US and the UK or with India “right now”, after America leaves Afghanistan.
Imran recalled that Pakistan has had a closer relationship with the US than other nations in the region, such as India, and was a US partner in the war against terrorism.
“Now, after the US leaves Afghanistan, basically Pakistan would want a civilised relationship, which you have between nations, and we would like to improve our trading relationship with the US,” he told The New York Times, adding “the relationship during the war on terror was a bit lopsided”.
The prime minister said that his government wanted the future relationship to be based on trust and common objectives, including a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
