Muzaffarabad, 22 April 2022 (TDI): A member of the US Congress and an elected representative, Ilhan Omar, paid a visit to Azad Jammu Kashmir.
The Congresswoman visited the Line of Control, the de facto border of the territory disputed between Pakistan and India. Her was visit aimed at assessing the situation on the ground firsthand.
Furthermore, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar met with the President of Azad Jammu Kashmir, Barrister Sultan Mehmood.
Meanwhile, she assured the President that she would join hands with other like-minded members of the US Congress in raising the issue of the plight of Kashmiris to the Biden Administration.
The Congresswoman is on a four-day visit to Pakistan to enhance bilateral ties between Pakistan and the US. Moreover, she met various Pakistani officials in Islamabad before paying a scheduled visit to Lahore and Kashmir.
Meetings with Pakistani Officials
In Islamabad, she met with the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The officials touched upon topics including bilateral ties, regional situation, the role of the Pakistani diaspora, and the Kashmir issue.
Furthermore, the President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi also received an audience with the Congresswoman. Both officials talked about bilateral relations, regional peace, and the economy and IT sector.
Likewise, she met with former Prime Minister Imran Khan. She expressed appreciation for his work against countering global Islamophobia.
In addition, Congresswoman Omar met the National Assembly Speaker, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf. In the meeting, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf proclaimed that “enhancing parliament to parliament contacts is vital for strengthening Pak-US relations.”
Previously, the Congresswoman called for respect for human rights, democratic norms, religious freedom, and de-escalation in Kashmir. Her reaction came after the Indian annexation of Kashmir in 2019.
As an elected Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar has been a critic of Israel and its aggressive and oppressive policies towards Palestine.
In addition, she opposed Trump’s ‘Muslim ban’, an attempt to bar people from several Muslim-majority states from entry into the US. She has faced racist and Islamophobic abuse throughout her political career.
