After India’s Condemnation, US Says Politician’s PoK Visit Was ‘Unofficial, Personal’

Washington: India had taken strong exception to US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), describing it as ‘narrow-minded’ politics.

The Joe Biden administration made it clear that Omar’s meeting with ousted Pakistan PM Imran Khan and her “unofficial, personal” visit to PoK did not represent the US government in any way.

The Democratic Congresswoman is on a four-day visit to Pakistan that began on April 20. On Wednesday, she met Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan as well as visited a part of PoK.

“It’s an unofficial personal visit and it does not represent any policy change on behalf of the United States government,” Derek Chollet, counselor to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, was quoted as saying by ANI.

A Somalia-born American, lawmaker Omar is on a four-day visit to Pakistan and PoK.

India condemned her statement that Kashmir should get more attention from the United States.

“I don’t believe that it (Kashmir) is being talked about to the extent it needs to in Congress but also with the administration,” Omar told reporters after visiting PoK.