Who funded Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's trip to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir; US says not them

Washington, April 22

Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s travel to Pakistan this week is not sponsored by the United States government, an official said on Thursday.

India on Thursday condemned Omar’s visit to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), saying her travel to the region violated the country’s sovereignty and it reflected her “narrow-minded” politics.

She also met Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his predecessor Imran Khan and several other leaders of the country.

“As I understand it, Representative Omar is not visiting Pakistan on US government sponsored travel,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference.

Condemning her visit to PoK, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters in New Delhi, “We have noted that US Representative Ilhan Omar has visited a part of the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir that is currently illegally occupied by Pakistan.”

“If such a politician wishes to practice her narrow-minded politics at home, that may be her business. But violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in its pursuit makes it ours. This visit is condemnable,” the spokesperson said.