India on Friday hit back at Pakistan over its decision to summon the top US diplomat in Islamabad after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor affirmed that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, saying there was “no reason” to comment on Islamabad’s frustration.
“I see no reason to comment on Pakistan’s frustration,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at a media briefing.
Gor, during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, said the Union Territory was an important part of India.
Hours later, Pakistan’s Foreign Office summoned the US Charge d’Affaires in Islamabad and lodged a “strong demarche” over Gor’s remarks. Gor is also the Trump administration’s Special Envoy to South and Central Asia.
“Pakistan strongly condemned and categorically rejected the characterisation of Jammu and Kashmir as a ‘part of India’,” the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement.
Jaiswal reiterated that the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh “are, and will always remain, an integral and inalienable part of India”.
He also defended India’s recent removal of temporary structures outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, saying the action was in response to Pakistan removing parking poles outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad.
“Certain structures there (outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad) were removed, despite our request. Once it happened, we took what could be described as a proportional action — we removed some temporary structures located in the lane outside the Pakistani High Commission here (in Delhi),” Jaiswal said.
Pakistani authorities had earlier removed security barricades and parking poles outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Indian agencies subsequently demolished unauthorised temporary structures outside the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi.
The developments came amid a deep freeze in ties between the two countries, which deteriorated sharply following India’s Operation Sindoor, launched against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied territories.