An American consulting firm, run by a former CIA station chief in Islamabad, came into the limelight suddenly when this news broke that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has hired it to lobby and provide advice on Pakistan-US relations. Robert Laurent Grenier of Grenier Consulting LLC was hired last year when PTI was still in power on the rate of 25000 USD per month. Earlier this month PTI-USA Inc, a subsidiary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, hired a company Fenton/Arlook to provide “PR services, including but not limited to distributing information to and briefing journalists, placing articles and broadcasts, arranging interviews with representatives or supporters of PTI, advising on social media efforts and other such public relations services.”
Now let’s connect a few dots. The practical manifestation of this PR agency can be seen today in the form of some vested and fabricated International media’s so called support for Imran Khan. Although the same International media was critical of him 4 months ago when he was openly defying European and U.S. concerns over cozying up with Russia and being sympathetic to the Taliban. So what actually changed in these last 4-5months. Have the funds provided to PR lobby firm started delivering? Surely, it has already.
Ironically in one day, BBC world suddenly broadcasts 3 pro PTI News without taking any other renowned journalist or government representative on air. Starting from their reporter giving live coverage from outside of Banigala followed by Fawad Ch and Ayaz Amir’s sudden interviews in news bulletin was all but a made up show. Out of nowhere, US based Time Magazine publishes a totally biased and propaganda piece with the catchy headlines suiting a particular narrative of PTI by not following a single ethic of Journalism under caption “Pakistan’s Generals want to muzzle Imran Khan”.
In yet another fixed and planted show to ratchet up the political heat, today, AlJazeera’s correspondent for NY Kristin Saloomey asks a planted question which is quite evident from the body language of the journalist in the video on which a pre planned written statement is read out by the Spokesperson of Secretary General UN. Even UN platform was shrewdly used to mint political mileage for a political party which is using US lobby firms to make inroads with US. Pakistan government needs to raise this serious matter with the UN for interfering in in its internal matters by commenting on a issue which was totally unwarranted. Is this all not a series of the Paid Public Relations activities to influence domestic political environment? NewYork times, Washington Post suddenly why all are speaking in favor of Imran Khan, which never praised Imran Khan in the last few months due to his reckless and baseless allegations & policies meant to create unrest and anarchy in the society? Why now suddenly?
Not everything that media shows is real. Fake News, biased Journalism is carried out all across the world. Media houses have agendas which are sometimes well paid. PTI hiring a lobbying firm for PR seems another tactic to build IK’s clout to put pressure inside the country after a failed miserable narrative inside.
Since his ouster, Khan has repeatedly alleged — without providing evidence — that Pakistan’s military took part in a U.S. plot to oust him. Washington itself, the military and the current government all have repeatedly denied the said allegations. But Imran Khan continues with this baseless rhetoric and now through a more advanced means of Public Relations by using money from the backend investors is endeavouring to play his political game by influencing and obliging few international media platforms. Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan was charged under the country’s antiterrorism act last Sunday for threatening police and a judge in a speech. It is not the first time he has done it. The hearing has started today in the court which has been adjourned till 31 August. He may face serious consequences from the court as per the law of the state.
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