Pakistan has summoned the United States (US) Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad to lodge a strong demarche over remarks made by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor regarding the status of Kashmir.
Gor, who visited Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on Wednesday, described the region as “an important part of India”.
The Foreign Office (FO) rejected the remarks, stressing that IIOJK is an internationally recognised disputed territory whose final status is to be decided in accordance with relevant United Nation (UN) Security Council resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
The FO spokesperson said that the ambassador’s statement was inconsistent with the US position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and its stated commitment to international law and the UN Charter.
“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 statement read.
The spokesperson also referred to US President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate between Pakistan and India over the Kashmir dispute following Marka-e-Haq. The US side was urged to ensure that its public statements reflected the disputed status of IIOJK.
Trump had offered in June last year to help resolve the Kashmir dispute between the two nuclear-armed countries, repeating his willingness to assist both sides in reaching a peaceful settlement.
Pakistan has repeatedly called on India to vacate the occupied territories and reverse what Islamabad describes as illegal and unilateral measures taken in IIOJK, particularly those introduced since August 5, 2019.
Islamabad has also called for the repeal of laws it describes as draconian and sought access for neutral observers, international human rights and humanitarian organisations and the international media to assess the situation in the region.
Pakistan maintains that India must allow the Kashmiri people to exercise their right to self-determination in line with relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
