Apr 24, 2026 13:28 pm IST

Opinion | How A 'Fixer' Once Defused Musharraf's Nuke Threat To India - And Is Now Helping Munir

Stephen Payne was critical not just to getting Gen Asim Munir into the White House but also, at one point, defusing Musharraf's 'nuclear use' threat to India. Here's the story of Pakistan's million-dollar lobbying networks...

Tara Kartha Tara Kartha Columnist

Tara Kartha Columnist

Not only are the Iranians beginning to suspect Islamabad's credentials, but data is now emerging about the extent of lobbying that Islamabad did to get its 'special relationship' with President Trump. Not that lobbying is at all illegal on the Hill. It's just that a state that is struggling to pay its bills to its creditors seems to be spending massive sums in the process.

But the extent of benefits that the back-channel has delivered is instructive. In some ways, that's the answer to a question of how Rawalpindi remains a constant factor in US politics.

A recent report mentions the services of a prominent lobbyist, Stephen Payne, head of Linden Strategies, who was critical not just to getting Gen Asim Munir into the White House but also to suggesting that he nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. In other words, not just access, but a communication strategy that came up trumps. The story of Payne is astonishing and began in 2001, through a group known as Team Eagle, which seems to have been hired in 2024 on behalf of Pakistan military-linked entities, at an annual fee of $1.5 million. A spurt of spending happened in 2025, with new firms listed. These included Javelin Advisors, enlisted for policy advocacy; Orchid consulting, Squire Patton Boggs, one of the largest firms engaged in such activities, and which is credited with lowering Islamabad's tariff rates; and Goddard Gunster Strategies, led by Republican operative Gerry Gunster - who was involved also in the Brexit referendum - to represent Pakistan's Ministry of Interior, emphasising counterterrorism cooperation and bilateral security ties. These are powerful entities, and at different times have even represented Pakistani political........

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