Pakistan Demarches US Chargé d’Affaires Over Statement on Occupied Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has summoned the US Chargé d’Affaires in Islamabad and issued a demarche over a US statement concerning the visit to Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the disputed status of the territory.

According to the Foreign Office spokesperson, the US Chargé d’Affaires was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, where Pakistan conveyed its serious concerns over the statement.

The Foreign Office said the visit by the US ambassador to India to occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the statement issued in connection with the visit were irresponsible and contradicted the United States’ longstanding and clearly stated position on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.

The spokesperson said the US statement was also inconsistent with Washington’s commitment to international law and the principles of the United Nations Charter.

Pakistan urged the US government to ensure that its public statements remain consistent with the internationally recognized disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Foreign Office spokesperson further recalled that Pakistan had welcomed US President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate between Pakistan and India to resolve the Kashmir dispute following “Marka-e-Haq.”

Pakistan reiterated the importance of maintaining consistency in international positions concerning the Jammu and Kashmir dispute and respecting the relevant principles of international law and the UN Charter.