India
oi-Ashish Rana
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has dismissed the need for US approval on Jammu and Kashmir after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor stated Jammu and Kashmir as an “important part of India”. Mehbooba Mufti said that US should not be treated as an authority on the region and supported Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s views that J&K issue must be addressed by New Delhi.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti stated that US approval is not needed for Jammu and Kashmir, backing CM Omar Abdullah’s view that New Delhi should address the region’s issues following US Ambassador Sergio Gor’s comments.
Mehbooba Mufti Questions US Role In J&K
While reacting to Gor’s comments Mehbooba Mufti said, “I don’t think we need to take America too seriously. You have seen that wherever America has intervened around the world, it has caused destruction… So, America is not our master that we need its certificate for something to matter.”
She also supported CM Omar Abdullah over him saying that Jammu and Kashmir problems can’t be resolved through US involvement. “I agree with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s statement that the problems of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be solved by America. This task will have to be done by New Delhi,” she said.
Mufti Criticises Foreign Visits After 2019
The former CM also criticised the way government plans the visit of foreign diplomats in Jammu and Kashmir. She also claimed that this all have started after 2019.
“Before 2019, whenever any Ambassador would come here, they would meet people from every section of society… After 2019, foreign dignitaries’ tours are curated. They met only the Chief Minister and the Governor, took a shikara ride, and left,” she said.
Mehbooba Mufti also alleged that Jammu and Kashmir’s situation has become “suffocating atmosphere”, where thousand people are imprisoned and government employees are being dismissed.
What Did Sergio Gor Say In Srinagar?
Sergio Gor visited Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since he has been appointed US Ambassador to India. During his visit on 19 August, after the meeting, he called Jammu and Kashmir as an ‘important part of India’. He also said that he was thrilled to visit the region for first time. He also said that US may review the travel advisory for Jammu and Kashmir as improving security conditions.
This statement frustrated Pakistan and prompted them to summon the US Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad and lodged a formal demarche. Pakistan stated Gor’s remarks as “factually incorrect” and says that Jammu and Kashmir is still a disputed territory.
