Sheraz Khan
Senior Producer, Monitoring Desk
Sheraz Khan Rajput is a veteran journalist with nearly two decades of experience in broadcast and digital media, specializing in breaking news, scriptwriting, research, and fact-checking.
Pakistan is spending millions to reset its image in Washington, positioning itself as an essential ally at a critical moment.
Nukta reviewed multiple official contracts worth at least $3.25 million signed between U.S.-based high-powered advocacy firms and the Government of Pakistan. The documents are publicly available on the U.S. Department of Justice’s Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) website.
Orchid Advisors: Wired into Trump’s inner circle
The centerpiece of the effort is Orchid Advisors, LLC (FARA Reg. No. 7572).
They were hired on April 8 -- for $250,000 a month and $1.5 million over six months -- to “reset and strengthen” ties across political, economic, and security fronts.
Its mandate covers the White House, Pentagon, State and Treasury Departments, National Security Council, Congress, and global lenders such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank.
Interestingly, the records show that the firm was registered on the same day it signed its contract with the Government of Pakistan.
The certificate of specifying the date of Orchid Advisors' formation.Courtesy: FARA
It also authorized advocacy with the Trump administration on tariffs and trade.
Four months later, the U.S. imposed a 19 percent tariff on Pakistani goods while India was hit with 50 percent, among the highest in the world.
Orchid subcontracted part of its work to Squire Patton Boggs, with fees covered under Orchid’s retainer.
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Squire Patton Boggs is deeply entrenched in Washington. Its ranks include former U.S. Chargé d’affaires in Islamabad Paul Jones, ex-Trump economic adviser Everett Eissenstat, and former Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
Media reports also linked Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, to the firm’s circle, highlighting the level of political access Pakistan is seeking.
According to the contract, Squire Patton Boggs shares the same long-term objective as Orchid Advisors, LLC: to “reset the diplomatic, military, and commercial relationships between Pakistan and the United States of America.”
Seiden Law: Lobbying with a bounty hunter
On April 8, Seiden Law LLP (FARA Reg. No. 7570) signed a six-month contract worth $200,000 per month.
The deal focuses on strengthening U.S. partnerships, expanding the Pakistan Congressional Caucus, and promoting sales of rare earth minerals to Washington.
It also aims to counter the Pakistan Democracy Act, which seeks to sanction Pakistani officials accused of undermining democracy, particularly those involved in the persecution of jailed opposition leader Imran Khan.
A copy of the agreement signed between Seiden Law and the Government of Pakistan, also dated April 8, 2025.Courtesy: FARA
The firm is also tasked with presenting Pakistan’s position on the Kashmir dispute to the U.S. Congress and key policy think tanks.
Seiden Law’s founder, Robert W. Seiden, was once dubbed the “Wall Street bounty hunter” for tracking executives of Chinese companies that collapsed after listing on U.S. stock exchanges, often leaving investors defrauded.
Seiden is known to have employed former operatives from global intelligence agencies, including Israel’s Mossad and Russia’s KGB, to support his high-level investigations.
Working under Seiden Law are two subcontractors with specialized mandates and even closer ties to Trump’s inner circle.
- Javelin Advisors LLC (FARA Reg. No. 7579), hired April 24 at $50,000 a month, is co-founded by Keith Schiller (Trump’s former bodyguard and aide) and George Sorial (ex–Trump Organization counsel).
- Conscience Point Consulting (FARA Reg. No. 7585), run by ex–Bush commerce adviser Nathaniel Wienecke, is paid $25,000 a month. A May 2, 2025, filing notes a Treasury call arranged for Pakistan’s finance minister.
Checkmate: The Trump family connection
Pakistan extends further into Trump’s family and campaign circle.
Checkmate Government Relations LLC (FARA Reg. No. 7534), a North Carolina firm tied to the Trumps, began a $100,000 “Phase 1” contract on May 15, with a $200,000 follow-on option. Its leadership includes:
- Charles “Ches” McDowell, a close associate of Donald Trump Jr.,
- Addison McDowell, his brother, who rode Trump’s endorsement to Congress,
- Chris LaCivita Jr., son of Trump’s 2024 campaign co-manager.
Ches McDowell (left) stands next to Donald Trump Jr. and Trump's pick for health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Courtesy: @robertfkennedyjr/ Threads
Gunster and Qorvis: Managing optics
Gunster Strategies Worldwide (FARA Reg. No. 7529) provided courtesy (pro bono) support for Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to Washington in January.
From January 17 to 22, the firm arranged multiple meetings, including one with Congressman Joe Wilson, who later co-authored the Pakistan Democracy Act, the same legislation Seiden Law is tasked with monitoring.
Text outlining the nature and method of the agreement reached between Gunster Strategies Worldwide and Pakistan's Minister of Interior.Courtesy: FARA
In another interesting development on August 5, Qorvis, a major public relations firm, circulated a “Youm-e-Istehsal” package for Pakistan’s Embassy in Washington that included a Kashmir fact sheet and suggested posts for policymakers and journalists.
Expert view: Lobbying is marketing, not diplomacy
Uzair Younus, a principal at The Asia Group - an advisory firm - and host of the Pakistonomy podcast, said that Pakistan’s reliance on lobbying has a long pedigree.
“Details of this hiring are publicly available on the FARA website that is maintained by the U.S.,” he told Nukta.
Younus cautions that while firms are valuable for arranging meetings and providing intelligence on Washington’s priorities, the real work lies with diplomats and policymakers.
“When interests align, relations improve, and when they diverge, relations stall,” he said.
At best, he added, “lobbying firms can be seen as marketing agencies. They can only do so much if the product being offered does not fit with market needs.”
What this push really means
Taken together, the contracts amount to Pakistan’s most coordinated Washington effort in years.
They show a willingness to invest in professional advocacy, court U.S. lawmakers, and even tap Trump’s closest advisers.
Trump’s recent praise for Pakistan — from thanking it for counterterrorism cooperation to promising trade deals and calling Pakistanis “brilliant people” — suggests Islamabad’s multimillion-dollar lobbying drive is already paying dividends.
Whether these warm words translate into lasting policy gains, however, will depend on how well Pakistan can align its interests with Washington’s shifting priorities.
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