PoK: Opposition leader questions US envoy’s visit to Gilgit Baltistan

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Opposition leader in Gilgit-Baltistan, Kazim Mesum has questioned the six-day visit of US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome and expressed concern over what he called his ‘mysterious activities’, Dawn News reported on Sunday.

During the six-day visit, US Ambassador visited different areas and met local representatives and Gilgit Baltistan government officials.

As per the Pakistan-based news daily, the Ambassador’s tour was kept secret by both the embassy and local government as no details were provided to media about the visit. The only official information about the envoy’s visit came in a statement issued by the GB deputy speaker’s office.

Blome also met Food and Tourism Minister Ghulam Muham­mad in Gilgit.

The opposition leader of GB, Kazim Mesum in the GB assembly on Friday said, “the mysterious activities” of the US ambassador in the region has raised questions, adding that the GB government was not aware of the visit.

“There is a set procedure for any country’s ambassador to visit the region,” he said, and called Blome’s arrival in Gilgit after visiting Gwadar “suspicious”.

According to the Dawn News, the US Ambassador also visited the port city days before his visit to GB, where China is executing infrastructure projects as part of CPEC.

The opposition leader said visits to the two most vital areas of CPEC were part of “the US’ CPEC containment policy”.

“The ambassador visited areas from which the CPEC route will pass,” Mr Mesum said. “There are many under construction mega projects in GB including CPEC, Diamer Bhasha Dam, while threats of insurgency from Afghanistan and local security issues also exist.”

During this time, the “undisclosed visit” was alarming, he said. (ANI)