Staffers at Pakistani news sites, usually busy reposting global stories about their homeland, were caught off guard when Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb landed a prominent spot in USA Today on December 22. The well-known American tabloid, famous for its colorful graphics and weather charts rather than its knowledge of South Asia, devoted a full 16-page special report to Pakistan titled “Pakistan Rising on New Foundations.”
The report showcased Aurangzeb discussing big issues like stabilizing Pakistan’s economy, keeping policies consistent, and boosting exports. He also stressed that the country’s future depends on empowering women, who make up half the population. Ironically, the special report only managed to feature one Pakistani woman—easy to spot in a rice ad tucked into page 13 among fifteen men.
Missing from the report was a real byline. Instead, it carried the name of One World Media alongside a faint disclaimer explaining that the piece was sponsored content produced without participation from USA Today staff. Dig a little deeper, and One World Media is actually a Cayman Islands-based creative agency offering its clients a “global stage.” If you want to read the full sixteen pages, you’d have to leave USA Today’s website and find a PDF buried on One World Media’s platform.
But none of this is a secret. Pakistan’s reputation in the U.S. is carefully sculpted by paid PR firms, politically affiliated diaspora networks, and American organizations that often have interests of their own. Both the Pakistani government and opposition party PTI are eager to be seen and heard in Washington.
For the ruling coalition of PML-N, PPP, and military leaders, the main message is about stability, strategic importance, and mending ties with the U.S., especially after the clash with India in May.
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That May 2025 crisis lasted four days with missiles, drones, air battles, and heavy fighting on both sides. India launched strikes inside Pakistan; Pakistan responded with air defense and its own missiles. The tension was only broken after diplomatic efforts led by the U.S., highlighting the dangers of escalation between the two nuclear neighbors and signaling a new era of warfare in the region.
Meanwhile, PTI is focused on the imprisonment of its founder and ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, along with claims of human rights violations.
Both camps are fighting for attention on Capitol Hill. “The first is the official Government of
