Jammu: U.S. Ambassador to India and Special Envoy to South and Central Asia Sergio Gor is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, with the envoy expected to meet Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in Srinagar, officials and sources said.
Gor, who is known for his close proximity to U.S. President Donald Trump, is expected to reach Srinagar on Wednesday afternoon. A senior National Conference leader confirmed that the U.S. envoy would meet Omar Abdullah during his visit.
Official sources also indicated that Gor is likely to meet Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha during his stay.
He may also travel to Ladakh following his Kashmir visit, though the details of his itinerary are yet to be formally announced.
The visit assumes significance as it would be the first visit by a serving U.S. Ambassador to J&K since the region was reorganised as a Union Territory in 2019.
Gor’s visit also comes against the backdrop of renewed political demands in Jammu and Kashmir over restoration of Statehood, special status and constitutional guarantees, with the National Conference and People’s Democratic Party among parties raising these issues.
According to a report, Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq welcomed the proposed visit of U.S. Ambassador Sergio Gor and urged him to engage with a broad cross-section of people.
“Good to know that the U.S. Ambassador is visiting Kashmir,” Farooq said, expressing hope that Gor would use the opportunity to understand first-hand the concerns and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Farooq, according to the report, also said he had consistently advocated meaningful engagement and dialogue as a means of addressing the concerns and aspirations of the people of J&K and the long-standing conflict surrounding the region.
Meanwhile, PDP leader and former minister Naeem Akhtar described Gor’s visit as a “significant development”.
Akhtar said the visit assumes significance given Gor’s additional role as the U.S. Special Envoy to South and Central Asia, particularly in the context of recent regional developments.
He also referred to U.S. President Donald Trump’s endorsement of the Pakistan-Saudi-Turkey defence pact, saying its Pakistan dimension should be a matter of concern for India.
The U.S. envoy’s visit comes at a time when Jammu and Kashmir continues to witness political discussions over its constitutional and administrative status, while diplomatic and strategic developments in the wider South Asian region remain under close watch.
