Observer Report Washington/ Islamabad
The United States clarified on Thursday that there has been no change in its policy towards occupied Kashmir, after a State Department tweet referred to the disputed territory as “India’s Jammu and Kashmir.”
This was said by Edward Price, Spokesperson of the US State Department, during a briefing when a tweet by the State Department was brought to his notice. “Could you comment also on a tweet earlier today that State tweeted out saying that – it refers to India’s Jammu and Kashmir? Now, is this a change in policy? Does State does not recognize this as a disputed territory? Is there some sort of change in position that we need to know? There’s been certain criticism of the phrasing today,” asked a reporter.
“I want to be very clear there has been no change in US policy in the region,” said Price. The tweet being spoken of was the one in which the US had welcomed the resumption of internet services in occupied Kashmir.Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Friday expressed his pleasure over the clarification by the United States that there had been no change in their policy on Kashmir as they still considered it a disputed territory.
The foreign minister, in a statement, said that Pakistan immediately presented its stance following a State Department’s tweet.
He was referring to a State Department’s tweet on February 10 about resumption of 4G service in which IIOJK was referred as “India’s Jammu and Kashmir” what Pakistan viewed was “inconsistent” with the disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir as recognized by numerous United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the international community. However, State Department Spokesperson in his media briefing clarified, “I want to be very clear there has been no change in U.S. policy in the region.”
Qureshi said like elsewhere in the world, the economy in the Gulf countries was also hit by COIVD-19 which resulted into layoffs and consequent repatriation of many people.
Likewise, the pandemic also adversely impacted aviation, hotel and restaurants business as well as the construction industry.
