Pakistan has strongly reacted to the US Ambassador to India’s “irresponsible” statement regarding the status of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
According to Kashmir Media Service, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the US Charge d’ Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a strong demarche over the factually incorrect remarks. The US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, who visited the occupied territory today, called IIOJK “an important part of India”, despite Kashmir being an internationally recognized disputed territory whose final status remains unresolved.
In a statement, the Foreign Office (FO) strongly condemned and categorically rejected the characterization of IIOJK as a “part of India”.
The FO spokesperson underscored that IIOJK is an internationally recognized disputed territory, awaiting final disposition in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
“It was highlighted that the irresponsible statement by the US ambassador negated the long-standing and well-documented position of the US on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, and also ran contrary to the US’s commitment to supremacy of international law and the UN Charter,” the FO statement said.
While appreciating President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate between India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute in the aftermath of Marka-e-Haq, the spokesperson said that the US side was urged to ensure that its public statements remain consistent with the disputed status of the IIOJK.
Last year in June, Trump had offered to help mediate the longstanding Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan, stressing that he could solve the issue between the two nuclear-armed nations. The US president had repeated his willingness to assist both countries in finding a peaceful solution to the decades-old conflict.
Pakistan has repeatedly called upon India to vacate all occupied territories and reverse all illegal and unilateral actions in IIOJK, particularly those taken since August 5, 2019.
Islamabad has also urged New Delhi to repeal all draconian laws and allow access to neutral observers, international human rights and humanitarian organizations, as well as the international media, to ascertain the situation on the ground.
Pakistan maintains that India must enable the Kashmiri people to exercise their right to self-determination in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.