India, Aug. 19 -- US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor is visiting Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, marking the first visit by a US envoy to the Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. His visit also comes after the Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor. Gor is scheduled to meet Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah as well as Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha during his visit to the region. He is expected to discuss the prevailing security, economic and developmental situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Ahead of his meeting with Gor, Omar Abdullah made it clear that he does not intend to raise the region's internal political issues with the US envoy. The chief minister said matters concerning Jammu and Kashmir have to be addressed by the Centre in New Delhi rather than Washington. Also Read - Assam Cong suspends 14 leaders for anti-party activities Advertisement Abdullah said he would prefer to listen to Gor and understand the purpose of his visit, adding that he was meeting an American diplomat after a considerable period. He said the meeting would provide an opportunity for a conversation, but stressed that the region's issues would not be taken to a foreign government for resolution. Gor's visit is being closely watched as he is not only the US ambassador to India but also serves as the US Special Envoy for South and Central Asia. His trip comes at a time of heightened geopolitical developments in the region and continued focus on India-US relations. The envoy is expected to spend the night in Kashmir before travelling to Ladakh on Thursday. During his Ladakh visit, he is scheduled to meet Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and other officials. The visit assumes significance as it is the first trip to Jammu and Kashmir by a senior US diplomat since the constitutional changes of August 2019, when the special status of the erstwhile state was revoked and the region was subsequently reorganised into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.