Why a Trump envoy’s Kashmir visit has led to US-Pakistan spat

Pakistan summoned the top United States diplomat in Islamabad on Wednesday to protest remarks made by the US ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, who described Indian-administered Kashmir as "an important part of India" during his first visit to the territory. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry lodged a "strong demarche," rejecting the characterization and reaffirming Kashmir as an internationally recognized disputed territory awaiting final disposition under UN resolutions.

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I am thrilled to be visiting an important part of India for the first time.

The ministry stated that Gor's remarks were factually incorrect and contradicted Washington's long-standing position on the dispute. Pakistan also referenced President Donald Trump's offer to help resolve the Kashmir issue, urging the US to maintain consistency in its public statements. Gor, who also serves as Trump's special envoy for South and Central Asia, made the comments publicly alongside Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, further irritating Islamabad.

This diplomatic spat occurs at a delicate juncture for US relations with both Pakistan and India. Pakistan has been actively seeking closer ties with the Trump administration, while the US navigates this relationship alongside its strategic partnership with India. Gor's visit was the first standalone trip by a serving US ambassador to Indian-administered Kashmir since 2019, and notably, since India revoked the region's autonomy that year.

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We lodged a strong demarche, rejecting the characterisation of Indian-administered Kashmir as a ‘part of India’ and reasserting it as an internationally recognised disputed territory awaiting final disposition under United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The US ambassador's comments have reignited tensions over Kashmir, a region claimed by both India and Pakistan since their independence in 1947. The dispute has led to multiple wars and ongoing conflict, with both nations asserting their claims based on historical and political grounds. The US has historically maintained a position of neutrality, encouraging dialogue between the two South Asian rivals, making Gor's recent statement a significant departure from that established policy.

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The statement called Gor’s remarks factually incorrect and said they negated Washington’s longstanding position on the dispute.