India Removes Barricades Outside Pakistan High Commission Amid Diplomatic Spat
NEW DELHI, India – In a move that appears to be a direct tit-for-tat response, Indian authorities on Thursday removed traffic bollards and barricades situated outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. The structures, including queue liners near the visa section, were reportedly located outside the designated perimeter of the Pakistani diplomatic compound in a public lane.
The removal comes just three days after Pakistani authorities dismantled security barricades outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, as reported by news agency ANI. Visuals from the scene in New Delhi depicted a chaotic landscape outside the High Commission, with broken railings, gates, metal frames, roofing sheets, bricks, and concrete scattered across the area. Parts of the outer fencing and roofing were also pulled down, yet signs such as “Window 1,” “Pakistani Passport Only,” and “Window-5 / Collection of Visa Applications” remained visible amidst the debris, indicating the continued function of the visa section.
While there has been no official confirmation directly linking these actions to the ongoing diplomatic tensions, the timing is highly suggestive. The removals follow a significant diplomatic protest by Pakistan against the United States over recent remarks made by a US envoy regarding the status of Kashmir.
US Envoy’s Kashmir Remarks Trigger Diplomatic Row
The latest development unfolds against the backdrop of a simmering diplomatic disagreement between Pakistan and the US. This dispute was ignited when US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, during his visit to Srinagar on Wednesday, unequivocally described Jammu and Kashmir as an “important part of India.”
Gor, who also serves as the US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia, made these remarks after a meeting with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. "This is an important part of India and so I am here visiting for the first time. It is an incredibly beautiful place and I’m thrilled to be here, thrilled to see this place,” Gor told local media.
Pakistan Summons US Diplomat, Condemns Remarks
Pakistan reacted with strong condemnation to Gor’s statements, subsequently summoned the US charge d’affaires in Islamabad, Natalie Baker. Pakistan’s foreign ministry stated it had delivered a "strong demarche" over Gor’s visit and his comments on the status of Jammu and Kashmir. The ministry asserted that Gor’s remarks were “factually incorrect” and “strongly condemned and categorically rejected the characterisation of Jammu and Kashmir as a ‘part of India’”.
Furthermore, Pakistan claimed that the US envoy’s comments were inconsistent with the “United States’ long-standing position on the Kashmir issue.” The US has traditionally maintained that India and Pakistan should resolve their differences bilaterally, a stance that aligns with New Delhi’s consistent opposition to third-party mediation on Kashmir.
Abdullah Discusses Kashmir’s Future with Gor
Ambassador Gor’s visit to Kashmir marked his first to the region in six years and followed appeals from several Kashmiri politicians for a review of the US travel advisory for the region. Opposition leader Mehbooba Mufti, for instance, had urged Gor to withdraw the highest-level travel advisory, highlighting its detrimental impact on thousands of families reliant on tourism.
Following his meeting with Gor, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah revealed that discussions focused on India-US relations, with a specific emphasis on the potential role Washington could play in Jammu and Kashmir. “We had an opportunity to discuss the relations between our two countries, but with specific focus on what the US can do with Jammu and Kashmir,” Abdullah stated. He added, “There are obviously certain legacy issues that, over time, we will be working to resolve but we look forward to taking this conversation further.”
The escalating diplomatic tensions, fueled by the Kashmir remarks and the reciprocal removal of security structures, underscore the sensitive nature of the India-Pakistan relationship and the potential for external statements to ignite further friction.
