India protests British envoy's visit to PoK, calls it 'infringement of sovereignty'

MEA released a statement on Saturday condemning the visit of British High Commissioner in Islamabad and an official of the UK Foreign Office to PoK on January 10. The Ministry said the visit is "highly objectionable" and an "infringement of India's sovereignty".

New Delhi:India on Saturday "lodged strong protest" against the visit of the British High Commissioner in Islamabad and an official of the UK Foreign Office to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

This comes after British envoy Jane Marriott visited Mirpur city in the PoK region along with a UK Foreign Office official on January 10.

In a statement released today, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the visit is "highly objectionable". "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," the statement stated.

The statement further mentioned, "Such infringement of India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity is unacceptable." The MEA said that the 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", it added.

Earlier, Marriott shared some photographs of her visit on her X handle saying, "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!"

Last year in October, the US envoy to Pakistan, Donald Blome, visited the PoK region. After which, New Delhi had objected to the visit and urged the international community to respect its "sovereignty and territorial integrity".

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