An Islamabad-based national security think tank has hired a new lobbying firm in the United States, according to the official registry of foreign agents.
Under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act, all lobbyists and lobbying firms representing foreign entities, including governments and corporations, must be publicly listed.
The entry on the US Justice Department’s website identifies the Pakistani organization as the Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI). This think tank is noted for its non-partisan approach to national security issues, including international relations, law, and strategic studies. The current president of IPRI is retired Major General Raza Muhammad.
The US firm hired by IPRI is Team Eagle Consulting, led by Stephen Payne, a lawyer who lobbies for both American and international clients in Washington.
According to the FARA filings, the firm’s primary goal is to strengthen US-Pakistan relations. This decision appears aimed at countering the rising influence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters in the US, who are campaigning for the release of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and other imprisoned leaders from his party.
The filing comes shortly after several US Congress members wrote to President Joe Biden requesting Imran Khan’s release, a move that the Foreign Office has deemed “counterproductive” and against diplomatic protocols.
Documents reveal that Team Eagle will be compensated $1.5 million annually, equating to $125,000 per month, for its services. A press release on Yahoo Finance characterizes Team Eagle as “a group of prominent Pakistani experts and internationally recognized specialists in the fields of strategic government affairs and economic development.”
