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US Ambassador in India defends PoK visit of American envoy in Islamabad

US Ambassador Donald Blome

New Delhi: The US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti on Tuesday dismissed criticism of the American envoy in Islamabad visiting Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) on the ground that a US delegation had also visited Jammu and Kashmir during the G20 meeting in Srinagar.

India had raised strong objections to the US Ambassador in Pakistan, Donald Blomeā€™s recent visit to PoK, during which he repeatedly referred to the region as AJK, the abbreviation for ā€˜Azad Jammu and Kashmirā€™.

ā€œThe Quaid-e-Azam Memorial Dak Bungalow symbolises the cultural and historical richness of Pakistan and was famously visited by Jinnah in 1944. Iā€™m honoured to visit it during my first trip to AJKā€, his official Twitter handle had tweeted.

Ambassador Garcetti when asked about Bloneā€™s PoK visit, said:,ā€œI know he has been there before, but our delegation has also visited Jammu and Kashmir during the G20 meeting.ā€

Ambassador Garcettiā€™s remark appears to indicate that the US is placing Jammu and Kashmir, which is a legitimate part of Indian territory, as a disputed area as it is being deviously termed by Pakistani propaganda.

Blomeā€™s visit was the second high-profile visit by a US diplomat to PoK, after US Congresswoman Illhan Omar visited the region.

India had issued a strongly worded statement at the time saying: ā€œShe 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.ā€

ā€”IANS

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