Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Islamabad formally approached Washington to correct a map shared by the Office of the United States Trade Representative depicted Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Aksai Chin as part of Indian territory. The map, posted on social media earlier this week, was taken down by Washington within hours.
The ministry said it raised the issue with U.S. officials, arguing that the depiction was inaccurate and inconsistent with the United Nations-recognised representation of the region.
“The map was put up by certain handles. We contacted US authorities. They realised that the map was incorrect. The international map on J&K, which delineates Pakistani and Indian territories, is legally sanctioned by the UN. If you go to the UN website, you will see the actual map,” the Ministry’s spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said in a briefing.
He added that Pakistan “notes with satisfaction that the US side made the requisite corrections to highlight the legal UN-sanctioned map of our region, which clearly delineates J&K as a disputed territory, whose settlement is to be done through a UN-administered plebiscite in accordance with UNSC resolutions”.
The development came days after India and the United States unveiled a framework for a trade agreement aimed at lowering tariffs and expanding access to an economy valued at more than USD 30 trillion. While releasing details of the deal, the U.S. trade office published a map of India that showed the entire Jammu and Kashmir region, including PoK, as part of India. The map also included Aksai Chin, which China claims as its own territory.
Although India’s territorial claims do not require US endorsement, the depiction marked a shift from Washington’s established practice. As debate grew over whether the map reflected an error or a broader recalibration in bilateral ties, the Trade Representative’s office deleted the post from its official X account.
