India Raises Concerns Over US Ambassador’s PoK Visit, Calls for Sovereignty Respect

India has officially expressed its concerns to the United States regarding the visit of US Ambassador to Pakistan, Donald Blome, to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The visit caused a significant controversy, particularly after Blome’s interactions with locals in Gilgit-Baltistan.

In response to this development, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson for India’s external affairs ministry, emphasized India’s long-standing position, stating, “Our position on the entire Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir being an integral part of India is well known. We would like to urge the international community to respect our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

The issue also prompted questions for US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti. He refrained from directly reacting to his fellow diplomat’s visit to PoK, saying, “It’s not my place to react to the US Ambassador in Pakistan but he’s been before and we obviously had part of our delegation in Jammu and Kashmir during G20 as well.” Additionally, Garcetti stressed that the matter of Jammu and Kashmir should be resolved through bilateral discussions between India and Pakistan, without the involvement of any third party, including the United States.

Donald Blome’s visit to Gilgit Baltistan in PoK was conducted discreetly, with the details being kept secret by both the embassy and Pakistan government officials. During his visit, Blome met with various local and government officials in Gilgit.

This incident wasn’t the first time a US diplomat’s visit to PoK had sparked controversy. Last year, when Blome visited Muzaffarabad, he had referred to PoK as ‘AJK’ (Azad Jammu and Kashmir), which India raised as an issue with the US. Moreover, in April of the same year, US Congresswoman Illhan Omar’s visit to PoK had drawn strong condemnation from New Delhi, with Arindam Bagchi stating, “She visited a part of Jammu and Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan. If such a politician wishes to practice her narrow-minded politics at home, that may be her business, but violating our territorial integrity in its pursuit makes it ours.”