Kashmir row: Pakistan summons US diplomat over envoy's 'part of India' comment
Pakistan on Wednesday summoned the United States Chargé d'Affaires in Islamabad, Natalie Baker, and lodged a formal diplomatic protest over comments made by U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir. The Foreign Office described the remarks as "irresponsible" and said they contradicted the region's internationally recognised disputed status.
Mr. Gor, who also serves as U.S. Special Envoy to South and Central Asia, was in Srinagar, where he took a shikara ride on Dal Lake. He told reporters that Jammu and Kashmir is an "important part of India" and an "incredibly beautiful place." He also said the United States would reconsider travel advisories for the region, crediting steps taken by the central government and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to improve safety.
Hours after his remarks, Pakistan's Foreign Office issued a statement saying it had summoned Ms. Baker and delivered a "strong demarche." The statement said Pakistan "strongly condemned and categorically rejected" the characterisation of Jammu and Kashmir as part of India. It underscored that Jammu and Kashmir is "an internationally recognised disputed territory, awaiting final disposition in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people."
The protest note further said that Mr. Gor's "irresponsible statement" negated the long-standing and well-documented position of the United States on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and ran contrary to the U.S. commitment to the supremacy of international law and the UN Charter. The statement also noted President Donald Trump's offer to mediate between India and Pakistan after a four-day conflict in May last year. While appreciating the offer, Pakistan urged Washington to ensure that its public statements remain consistent with the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir.
The dispute over Jammu and Kashmir dates back to the partition of British India in 1947. Both countries claim the region in full and control separate parts divided by the Line of Control. The Line of Control, established under the Shimla Agreement of 1972, serves as the de facto border between Indian-controlled Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Azad Kashmir. The UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) monitors the ceasefire along the line. Violations of the ceasefire have been a recurring source of tension, and both sides have periodically accused each other of firing across the border.
The United Nations has designated Jammu and Kashmir a disputed territory, and several Security Council resolutions have called for a plebiscite to determine the will of the people. India has consistently rejected this, asserting that the region is an integral part of the country. New Delhi's position was reinforced in August 2019 when it abrogated the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under Articles 370 and 35A, splitting it into two union territories. Pakistan called the move unilateral and illegal.
The United States has historically urged both sides to resolve the Kashmir issue peacefully, without publicly taking a position on sovereignty. In that context, Mr. Gor's explicit description of the region as "part of India" was a departure from the usual diplomatic language. Pakistan's strong reaction underscores how sensitive any shift in the U.S. stance is to Islamabad, which has long sought international intervention in the dispute. India, meanwhile, has maintained that talks with Pakistan should be bilateral and has repeatedly rejected third-party mediation. The May conflict last year had raised hopes of renewed dialogue, but the latest diplomatic row suggests that differences remain deep.
