4 min readAug 20, 2026 01:07 AM IST
First published on: Aug 19, 2026 at 11:33 PM IST
Pakistan on Wednesday summoned US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker and lodged a “strong demarche” over remarks by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, news agency PTI reported.
Gor, who was in Srinagar on Wednesday, described Jammu and Kashmir as an “important part of India” and called it “an incredibly beautiful place”.
What Sergio Gor said in Srinagar
Gor made the remarks while visiting Srinagar, where he met Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and took a shikara ride on Dal Lake.
The US envoy said Washington would reconsider its travel advisory for Jammu and Kashmir, citing steps taken by the central government and the Omar Abdullah-led administration to improve security in the region.
Why Pakistan objected
Hours after Gor’s remarks, Pakistan’s Foreign Office summoned Baker in Islamabad and formally protested his description of Jammu and Kashmir as part of India. Islamabad said it “strongly condemned and categorically rejected” the characterisation. Pakistan said the region’s final status should be determined in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and what it described as the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
“Pakistan strongly condemned and categorically rejected the characterisation of Jammu and Kashmir as a ‘part of India’,” the Foreign Office said in a statement.
“It was underscored that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised disputed territory, awaiting final disposition in accordance with the relevant UNSC resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people,” the statement added.
What Pakistan told the US
The Pakistani Foreign Office described Gor’s remarks as “irresponsible” and said they contradicted what Islamabad called the longstanding US position on the Kashmir dispute. It also argued that the remarks were inconsistent with Washington’s stated commitment to international law and the UN Charter.
Pakistan further referred to US President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate between India and Pakistan after the four-day military conflict in May 2025, and urged Washington to ensure that its public statements remained consistent with what Islamabad calls the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Why Gor’s visit matters
Gor’s Srinagar visit was his first to Jammu and Kashmir since taking charge as US ambassador to India. His description of the region as an “important part of India”, coupled with Washington’s indication that it could review its travel advisory, gives the visit significance beyond its diplomatic engagement.
(With inputs from PTI)
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor speaks to the media as he arrives at the residence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in Srinagar, Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (PTI Photo) 
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