In a bold move amid its worsening financial woes, Pakistan ramped up lobbying efforts in the United States following India's Operation Sindoor airstrikes last year, shelling out up to $50,000 a month to influence American policymakers and media. The cash-strapped nation hired top firms to counter New Delhi's narrative on terrorism, revealing a desperate bid to sway Washington just after precision strikes hit terror camps linked to cross-border attacks.

Operation Sindoor, launched in May 2025, came as retaliation for a brutal terror strike in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that claimed 26 lives. India targeted nine sites deep inside Pakistan, including airbases and militant hideouts, catching Islamabad off guard. Days later, on April 24, 2025, Pakistan registered Javelin Advisors LLC under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) to push its side—framing India as the aggressor and denying any terror ties while highlighting President Trump's past mediation offers on Kashmir.

Despite ballooning debts and IMF bailouts, Pakistan didn't hold back. Javelin pocketed $50,000 monthly to lobby Congress, the White House, and outlets on India-Pakistan dynamics and regional peace. Other players included Qorvis for media spins and Ervin Graves at $25,000 a month from October, targeting key House reps and think tanks. Overall, disclosures show nearly $5 million spent in 2025—three times India's lobbying outlay—on six firms pitching everything from rare earth mineral deals worth $1 trillion to halt further Indian actions.

Lobbyists like Squire Patton Boggs bombarded over a dozen lawmakers, including South Asia subcommittee members, with memos flipping the script: India as "terror sponsor," Pakistan as victim. They dangled economic incentives, urging the US to broker ceasefires and invest in Pakistani minerals for supply chain security. This frenzy peaked right after the strikes, with pleas to "somehow stop" India's response, blending defense pleas with business lures.

FARA filings lay bare how nations like Pakistan weaponize lobbying when diplomacy falters, buying access in a system where foreign cash flows freely. For India, it spotlights the PR battlefield alongside military ones, prompting its own hires like SHW Partners. As Trump steers US foreign policy, these moves test alliances in a volatile region, where billions in lobbying underscore survival over solvency.