Pakistan has lodged a formal protest with the United States after U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor described Indian-administered Kashmir as “an important part of India”, triggering a diplomatic dispute over Washington’s longstanding position on the contested territory.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned U.S. Charge d’Affaires Natalie Baker in Islamabad on Wednesday and issued what it described as a “strong demarche,” rejecting Gor’s characterization of Kashmir and reiterating Pakistan’s position that the territory remains internationally disputed.
Gor, who also serves as U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy for South and Central Asia, made the comments during a two-day visit to Srinagar and Ladakh. After meeting Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Gor told reporters he was pleased to be visiting what he called “an important part of India.”
The visit was significant because it marked the first standalone trip by a serving U.S. ambassador to Indian-administered Kashmir since 2019, when New Delhi revoked the region’s special constitutional status.
Gor also said Washington was reconsidering its “Do Not Travel” advisory for Jammu and Kashmir, citing improved security conditions. The current U.S. advisory warns Americans against travelling to the region because of terrorism and civil unrest, although parts of Ladakh are exempt.
Pakistan Says Remarks Contradict U.S. Policy
Islamabad argued that Gor’s language contradicted Washington’s traditional position that the final status of Kashmir should be resolved between India and Pakistan while taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
Pakistan also pointed to Trump’s previous offers to help mediate the decades-old dispute, including after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire following their four-day military confrontation last year.
Pakistan welcomed Trump’s mediation offer, while India rejected any suggestion of outside involvement and maintained that the ceasefire had been reached through direct military contacts.
The Kashmir dispute dates back to the partition of British India in 1947. India and Pakistan both administer portions of the Himalayan region while claiming it in its entirety, and the two countries have fought multiple wars over the territory.
A United Nations Security Council resolution adopted in 1949 called for the region’s future to be determined through a plebiscite, which has never taken place.
Analysts See Diplomatic Misstep, Not Policy Shift
Pakistani diplomatic experts cautioned against interpreting Gor’s remarks as evidence of a formal change in U.S. policy.
Former Pakistani foreign secretary Jauhar Saleem said a major shift on Kashmir would normally be reflected in official State Department or White House statements rather than an ambassador’s comments during a regional visit.
Saleem described Gor’s statement as a possible example of “localitis,” where diplomats adopt language intended to appeal to their host government that may not fully reflect their own country’s official position.
He said Pakistan’s decision to summon the U.S. diplomat was therefore intended to seek clarification and reinforce Islamabad’s position rather than signal a broader deterioration in relations.
Former Pakistani ambassador to the United States Aizaz Chaudhry similarly said Gor’s remarks could represent his personal formulation rather than an official policy change, arguing that Pakistan’s protest served as a reminder that U.S. diplomats should remain consistent with Washington’s established language on Kashmir.
Broader U.S.-Pakistan Relationship Unlikely to Be Derailed
Analysts said the dispute is unlikely by itself to seriously damage improving relations between Washington and Islamabad.
Pakistan and the United States cooperate on a range of issues including regional security, counterterrorism, Afghanistan, defence ties, economic relations and diplomatic efforts involving Iran.
Former Pakistani military officer and diplomat Tariq Rashid Khan described Islamabad’s response as “issue-specific boundary-setting,” arguing that closer relations with Washington do not mean Pakistan will accept language contradicting its position on Kashmir.
The controversy nevertheless highlights how politically sensitive terminology surrounding Kashmir remains for both India and Pakistan.
For Islamabad, international references to Kashmir as disputed support its argument that the issue requires an eventual political settlement. For New Delhi, meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, and the government strongly rejects foreign mediation or suggestions that its sovereignty over the territory remains open to international negotiation.
Any clarification from Washington will therefore be closely watched, particularly as the Trump administration attempts to maintain increasingly important relationships with both India and Pakistan.
