Unacceptable: India protests UK high commissioner's visit to PoK
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday expressed its displeasure over the recent visit of the UK High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott, to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on January 10. The MEA said it considers this visit a violation of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity and has lodged a protest with the British High Commissioner in India. "The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are...have been and shall always remain an integral part of India," it said.
Why does this story matter?
PoK is a disputed territory that is claimed by both India and Pakistan. The Indian government has always been critical of international engagement in the region, regarding it as an infringement of its sovereignty. During the Parliament Winter Session in December 2023, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated India's claim over PoK, saying 24 seats were reserved in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly for representatives from the region.
MEA spokesperson issues statement
Marriott's justification for visiting Mirpur
Marriott, the first female British High Commissioner to Pakistan, defended her visit to Mirpur in PoK, saying, "70% of British Pakistani roots are from Mirpur." In a tweet, she wrote, "Salaam from Mirpur, the heart of the UK and Pakistan's people-to-people ties! 70 percent of British-Pakistani roots are from Mirpur, making our work together crucial for diaspora interests. Thank you for your hospitality!"
Previous protests against foreign diplomats' visits to PoK
This isn't the first time the MEA has protested such visits. In October last year, India objected to the United States Ambassador to Pakistan Donal Blome's visit to PoK's Muzaffarabad. Blome had referred to Muzaffarabad as part of "AJK" (Azad Kashmir), which prompted India to raise the issue with the US. In December, photos of the US envoy interacting with people in PoK's Gilgit-Baltistan also drew objections from India.
