|
Pakistan builds up D.C. presence with Cassidy contract |
|
By Kevin Bogardus
|
|
Posted: 10/25/07 07:04 PM [ET] |
Facing withering criticism from Congress and presidential candidates alike, Pakistan’s government has added to its lobbying roster by signing a major deal with one of Washington’s best-known firms.
Cassidy & Associates has inked a year-long $1.2 million contract with Pakistan’s embassy in Washington, according to records filed with the Justice Department. Cassidy’s work will involve an intense lobbying and public-relations campaign promoting Pakistan’s status as an “important strategic partner of the U.S.”
“We thought we had some challenging issues and we thought we should add another lobbying firm,” said Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, first secretary of political affairs at Pakistan’s Washington embassy.
America’s key ally in the region and a longtime major recipient of U.S. foreign aid, Pakistan has come under increased congressional scrutiny of late. It complained bitterly earlier this year when Congress passed tough recommendations to limit aid to the country, based on recommendations from the 9/11 Commission report, unless it did more to combat the Taliban and al Qaeda presence in its lawless northwest region.
In addition, presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) gave a highly publicized speech in August that criticized Pakistan’s government. He warned that, as president, he would order military strikes on al Qaeda in Pakistan without Islamabad’s approval, if necessary.
Pakistan’s leader, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, has faced rough times at home, too. Despite prevailing in the presidential election earlier this month, Musharraf’s win has been challenged by opposition parties, whose claims are being reviewed by the country’s Supreme Court.
Robin Raphel, senior vice president at Cassidy, stressed Pakistan’s necessity as an ally for American counterterrorism strategy.
“We need to recognize it is not easy what Pakistan is trying to do here in assisting us in the fight against the terrorism in the region,” she said.
Raphel, a new high-profile hire at the firm who is familiar with the region, will lead the contract. Formerly the deputy inspector general in the Office of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction and assistant secretary of state for South Asian Affairs, Raphel was a State Department official detailed to the U.S. Agency for International Development in Pakistan early in her career.
Raphel said her job will be to make sure “all relevant parties have the facts.”
“I think it’s clear there is a less than perfect understanding of Pakistan here,” she added.
“Ambassador Raphel’s experience and background will be essential to our work for the embassy at this critical juncture in the long-standing relationship between the Pakistani people and the United States,” said
Gerry Cassidy, the firm’s executive chairman.
Cassidy lobbyists plan to contact members of Congress and administration officials for the client. Cassidy will also work with its affiliate company, public relations giant Weber Shandwick.
Early last month, Raphel was brought in to head Cassidy’s global affairs and trade consultancy group. The firm’s international affairs practice was folded into the group. Cassidy has one other active foreign government client, Equatorial Guinea, according to Justice Department records.
Cassidy will not be the only firm representing Pakistan’s embassy in Washington. Van Scoyoc Associates still has a $55,000 per month contract with the country.
“We continue to represent the embassy and work with the ambassador and his team on a daily basis,” said Mark Talvarides, vice president for Van Scoyoc and lead lobbyist on the contract.
“We would like to have a very smooth relationship [with the United States], and these two firms are going to complement our efforts,” said Baloch.
Van Scoyoc has earned $240,000 so far this year, according to Justice Department records.
One of Musharraf’s main rivals, ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, also has Washington representation. Her party, the Pakistan People’s Party, hired BKSH & Associates and their affiliate Burson-Marsteller LLC to promote fair elections in Pakistan.
Bhutto’s return to Pakistan from exile this month became violent when her procession was bombed, killing dozens of people and leading her to criticize Musharraf’s government. But Bhutto and Musharraf have kept up talks on a possible power-sharing agreement.
“We believe there is common ground between her party and the government,” said Baloch.
|
