• Source:JND
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India lodged a strong protest on Saturday with the UK over a visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) by the British envoy to Islamabad, adding that the infringement on India's territorial integrity is unacceptable. The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir has been and shall always remain an integral part of the country. 

The Ministry, responding to the visit by British High Commissioner Jane Marriott, said, "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. Such infringement of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity is unacceptable."

"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," the ministry said added.

The statement comes after British envoy Jane Marriott visited Mirpur city in the PoK region along with an official of the UK Foreign Office.

"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 Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement on Saturday.

"Such infringement of India's sovereignty and territorial integrity is unacceptable," it added.

In October last year, the US envoy to Pakistan, Donald Blome, visited the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir region. New Delhi conveyed to Washington its 'strong objection' to the visit and urged the international community to respect its "sovereignty and territorial integrity".

(With input from agencies)