Washington: Pakistan has summoned a top diplomat in Islamabad after US ambassador Sergio Gor described Jammu and Kashmir as an “important part of India” during a visit to Srinagar.
Gor has become the first US ambassador to travel to Jammu and Kashmir in six years. He reportedly made the remarks after a meeting with chief minister Omar Abdullah. He also hinted at the fact that the US could look into downgrading a travel advisory for Kashmir.
“This is an important part of India and so I am here visiting for the first time. It is an incredibly beautiful place and I’m thrilled to be here, thrilled to see this place,” Gor said, as quoted in a HT report.
Gor is also the US special envoy for South and Central Asia. He also noted that the US has a practice of reviewing travel warnings that it issues for its citizens. After mentioning that, he said: “I cannot make any big announcements here today but it is something we are going to look at.”
Pakistan’s foreign ministry summoned the US charge d’affaires in Islamabad, Natalie Baker. In order to register protest against the remark, it served her a “strong demarche” on Gor’s visit to Kashmir and his “incorrect statement regarding the status of the disputed territory”.
A statement from Pakistan’s foreign ministry mentioned Gor’s remarks on the status of Jammu and Kashmir as “factually incorrect”.
“Pakistan strongly condemned and categorically rejected the characterisation of Jammu and Kashmir as a ‘part of India’,” the statement reads.