WASHINGTON: The US has assured Pakistan that its Kashmir policy position has not changed and that Washington continues to treat the region as disputed territory needing a settlement between Pakistan and India. Diplomatic sources confirmed the assurance this week.
US Kashmir policy Pakistan: Why Islamabad sought clarification
Pakistan raised the matter with Washington after Gor’s comments during a meeting with Omar Abdullah, who heads the government in India-held Kashmir. Gor said the territory was an “important part of India” and signalled that Washington was reviewing its “do not travel” advisory for the region, citing improved security.
The remarks unsettled Islamabad. Pakistan summoned the US chargé d’affaires, saying the ambassador’s comments clashed with its understanding of Washington’s longstanding position and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
When Islamabad asked whether Gor’s remarks signalled a shift, US officials told their Pakistani interlocutors there had been “no change in our position” and that the dispute still needed resolution between Pakistan and India. Diplomatic sources also pointed to President Trump’s earlier offer to help resolve the Kashmir dispute as evidence that Washington views the issue as unresolved.
US Kashmir policy Pakistan: Noon and Sheikh restate Pakistan’s stance
The issue came up during a media interaction in Washington involving Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon, chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Kashmir, and Pakistan’s ambassador to the US, Rizwan Saeed Sheikh.
Noon reaffirmed Pakistan’s political, diplomatic and moral support for the Kashmiri people. He said lasting peace in South Asia was impossible without resolving the dispute under UNSC resolutions, adding that it could not be treated as settled. He urged the international community to focus on allegations of human rights violations in India-held Kashmir, citing disappearances, detentions, demographic changes and moves to alter Kashmir’s political and cultural identity.
Noon also tied the dispute to South Asia’s security picture, arguing that the presence of three nuclear-armed states made peaceful settlement of outstanding disputes essential.
Ambassador Sheikh said Kashmir remained within the international and UN framework and that its peaceful resolution was vital for regional and global stability. The embassy later issued a statement carrying these positions.
US Kashmir policy Pakistan: What happens next
Washington’s private assurance closes the diplomatic loop for now, but the episode shows how closely Islamabad watches US statements on Kashmir. Pakistani officials expect the public position, built on decades of UN-focused language, to hold in practice.
Frequently asked questions
Did the US change its policy on Kashmir?
No. US officials told Pakistani interlocutors there had been no change in Washington’s position, and that it continues to regard Kashmir as a dispute needing settlement between Pakistan and India.
What did the US ambassador to India say?
Ambassador Sergio Gor described Jammu and Kashmir as “an important part of India” during a visit to Srinagar on August 19. He also said Washington was reviewing its travel advisory for the region.
How did Pakistan respond to the remarks?
Pakistan protested and summoned the US chargé d’affaires in Islamabad, saying the comments were inconsistent with the longstanding US position and UN Security Council resolutions.
What did Pakistan’s Kashmir committee chairman say in Washington?
Rana Muhammad Qasim Noon reaffirmed Pakistan’s political, diplomatic and moral support for Kashmiris and said South Asian peace depended on resolving the dispute under UNSC resolutions.
What is Pakistan’s stated position on resolving Kashmir?
Pakistan holds that the dispute must be resolved in line with UN Security Council resolutions and cannot be treated as settled. Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh said its peaceful resolution was essential to regional and international stability.
