India objects to US envoy Blome's visit to PoK, raises issue: MEA

India on Friday raised objection to US ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome's recent visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Friday said that India has raised the issue with the US and the same has been conveyed to them. "We have objections regarding the visit and the meetings in PoK by the US ambassador and we have conveyed the same."

This was the second visit by a US official to PoK.

Blome referred PoK as "Azad Jammu and Kashmir", which is against to the Indian stand as the region was forcibly occupied by Pakistan in 1947.

The ambassador visited PoK on Monday to participate in a sapling planting event at a university and to lay a wreath in memory of the 2005 earthquake victims.

He also visited other landmarks in Muzaffarabad and referred PoK as "Azad Jammu and Kashmir".

The US embassy in Islamabad, following the Blome's visit, has shared a series of tweets during the last three days, detailing minutely the US envoy's itinerary in the disputed region.

The embassy, in a tweet quoting Blome, said: "The Quaid-e-Azam Memorial Dak Bungalow symbolizes the cultural and historical richness of Pakistan and was famously visited by Jinnah in 1944. I'm honored to visit during my first trip to AJK."

The US made it a point to highlight how it has been helping Pakistan in a holistic manner, restoring Pakistani heritages and cultural sites, to providing significant humanitarian relief supplies during the 2005 earthquake to lately providing "over $66 million in cash, food, and health assistance" as devastating floods ravage Pakistan.

--IANS

miz/shs