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'Infringement, objectionable': India protests British High Commissioner's visit to POK

by Trans World Features | @twfindia 13 Jan 2024, 10:39 am

New Delhi: India on Saturday lodged a strong protest over the visit of British High Commissioner Jane Marriott in Islamabad to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), terming the visit “objectionable” and “infringement on India's territorial integrity”

The Ministry of External Affairs has said that the infringement on India's territorial integrity is unacceptable, and reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir has been and shall always remain an integral part of the country.

The ministry said, "India has taken a serious note of the highly objectionable visit of the British High Commissioner in Islamabad, along with a UK Foreign Office official, to Pakistan occupied Kashmir on 10 January 2024. Such infringement of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity is unacceptable."

"Foreign Secretary has lodged a strong protest with the British High Commissioner in India on this infringement. The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are, have been and shall always remain an integral part of India," the ministry said.

Mariott took to X, to share her visit to Mirpur in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir along with some images to detail her experience.

"Salaam from Mirpur, the heart of the UK and Pakistan's people-to-people ties! 70% of British Pakistani roots are from Mirpur, making our work together crucial for diaspora interests. Thank you for your hospitality!" she wrote.

The British High Commission in Pakistan also posted a video featuring Marriott's visit to the area. The footage depicted her visit to a bakery and interactions with district officials.

In October of the previous year, India expressed its concerns to the US over the visit of American Ambassador to Islamabad, Donald Blome, to Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The Ministry of External Affairs has appealed to the international community to uphold India's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It was noted that the US ambassador had also visited Pakistan-administered Kashmir in the year 2022.

In a parliamentary address in December, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that 24 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly had been reserved for representatives from Pakistan-administered Kashmir, underscoring that "PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) belongs to us."