Kashmir’s New Battle Is Over Its Image |
Sergio Gor arrived in Jammu and Kashmir on August 19 as a diplomat, and left behind a political argument.
The U.S. ambassador to India came to meet Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, inspect the security apparatus and visit a region that senior American officials have largely avoided for decades.
His description of Jammu and Kashmir as an important part of India triggered a swift response from Islamabad, which summoned the American charge d’affaires and lodged a formal protest within hours.
Pakistan’s reaction revealed the significance of the visit.
Islamabad has spent decades presenting Kashmir as an international dispute whose final status remains open. Its diplomatic campaign at the United Nations depends heavily on keeping foreign governments engaged with Kashmir as unfinished business.
Gor’s visit presented a different picture.
He sat with an elected chief minister and discussed tourism, education and economic cooperation as practical questions of governance and development.
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