Politics · Malaysia Bureau
Pakistan summons US envoy over ambassador's Kashmir remarks
Pakistan has formally protested comments made by the US ambassador to India regarding Kashmir's status, summoning the American envoy to express its displeasure. The diplomatic row stems from remarks the ambassador made during a visit to the disputed territory.
LSN Malaysia ·
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry summoned the US ambassador on Tuesday to lodge an official protest over statements made by America's top diplomat in New Delhi regarding Kashmir. US Ambassador Sergio Gor had described Indian-administered Kashmir as "an important part of India" while speaking to journalists during a recent visit to Srinagar, the region's main city.
The remarks drew immediate criticism from Islamabad, which contests India's control of the territory. Pakistan's position, supported by multiple United Nations resolutions, maintains that Kashmir's status should be determined through a plebiscite allowing the region's population to decide their political future.
The summons of the US ambassador represents a formal diplomatic protest and signals Pakistan's concern that American officials are taking sides in the long-standing territorial dispute. The two South Asian nations have fought multiple wars over Kashmir since their partition in 1947, and the region remains one of the world's most sensitive geopolitical flashpoints.
The incident underscores the delicate balance required of US diplomacy in South Asia, where Washington maintains strategic partnerships with both India and Pakistan. Pakistan has previously protested when international figures make statements that appear to endorse India's administrative control over the disputed region.