India slams Ilhan Omar for ‘reprehensible’ visit to Pakistan

India’s Foreign Ministry blasted the visit of far-left MP Ilhan Omar to Pakistan this week, calling her trip to the disputed region of Kashmir “condemned”.

“We found that she was visiting a part of the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir that is currently illegally occupied by Pakistan,” ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said of the Minnesota Democrat during a news conference Wednesday. “Let me just say, if such a politician wants to practice her narrow-minded politics at home…that can be her business.”

“But violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in the pursuit makes it ours,” he continued. “And we consider this visit reprehensible.”

Since gaining independence from Britain in 1947, India and Pakistan have fought three wars and several minor armed conflicts over Kashmir, none of which have proved decisive. The region is mainly ruled by India, while Pakistan and China control the rest of the territory.

Earlier Thursday, Omar visited the Pakistani side of a ceasefire line in the region known as the Line of Control and told reporters her fellow MPs should pay more attention to the longstanding conflict.

“I don’t think Congress and the administration are talking about it as much as it needs to,” the far-left Squad member said, according to Reuters.

Omar added that the House External Relations Committee, of which she is a member, will investigate allegations of human rights abuses by Indian authorities in the region, according to the Express Tribune newspaper.

Omar’s office did not immediately respond to the Post’s request for comment on India’s condemnation.

A day earlier, the Democrat from Minnesota met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbad Sharif, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and President Arif Alvi in ​​the capital Islamabad.

With her visit, Omar became the first US elected official to meet with members of Pakistan’s new coalition government, which came to power after Imran Khan was ousted in a no-confidence vote last week.

After Omar’s visit, Alvi said in a statement he hoped “constructive relations” between Pakistan and the US would “promote peace and development in the region,” according to the Associated Press.

Khar also promoted the meeting with the congresswoman, saying Omar had promised to “cement” ties between the two countries and said they had “benefited” from working together in the past.