ISLAMABAD: Asad Majeed Khan, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US, signed the most expensive lobbying deal to promote Pakistan-US relations with another firm before he was associated with Fenton/Arlook LLC.
On 20 March 2022, five days before PTI chief Imran Khan revealed the alleged plot to change the government, Majeed hired Fenton/Arlock LLC, which later became PTI’s lobbyist. .
However, just four months prior to this agreement, the former envoy had signed an agreement with Braunstein-Hite Farber Associates, LLP to promote relations between Pakistan and the United States.
During his tenure as ambassador in Washington, the diplomat signed one of the most expensive contracts. According to the agreement, a copy of which is available with The News, the Pakistan Embassy agreed to pay $100,000 per month ($1.2 million annually) to Braunstein-Hite Farber Associates, LLP.
However, despite having an active lobbying contract with such an expensive firm, the Ambassador signed a new contract with Fenton/Arlock for $30,000 per month for the same purpose.
Five months later, in August 2022, Imran Khan’s party engaged Fenton/Arlook LLC to promote the party’s image in the US. PTI, on the other hand, agreed to pay $25,000 per month to the lobbying company.
According to the agreement signed between the Embassy of Pakistan in the United States and Brownstein Hite Farber Associates, LLP, “the firm will provide general government relations to provide policy advice and advocacy on behalf of the Embassy to the US Congress, the Executive. Services will be provided by the branch, and related third-party organizations in Washington, DC.
“Upon execution of this Agreement, our monthly retainer fee for this matter shall be $100,000 including charges and expenses incurred for business related travel to Pakistan, effective for an initial annual period, “This agreement will be reviewed from time to time. Pakistan will be invoiced quarterly in advance for this retainer and no work will commence until the invoice is paid,” the agreement reads.
Diplomatic sources questioned that when the embassy already had a lobbying firm and that too at a very high cost, what was the reason for hiring another firm for the same job? What was the urgency in hiring Fenton/Arlook when the embassy had already contracted with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP?
Sources also wondered if the former prime minister was in the loop when signing the deal with the firm. The News sent a questionnaire to Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan but he did not respond to the requests.
