Mehbooba urges US envoy to withdraw top travel advisory against Kashmir

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday urged US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor to review and withdraw the highest-level US travel advisory against visiting Kashmir, saying it was affecting a region where thousands of families depend on tourism.

Gor arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday for a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, his first visit to the region since taking charge as US ambassador earlier this year. During his visit, he met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and described Jammu and Kashmir as an “important part of India”. He also indicated that the US travel advisory “should be downgraded” in view of improved security in the region.

Mufti made her appeal in a post on X, saying the advisory was more than a warning for Kashmir because of the number of livelihoods dependent on tourism.

“The least the US Ambassador Sergio Gor @USAmbIndia can do is review and withdraw the highest level travel advisory against visiting Kashmir,” she said.

“For Kashmir, where thousands of families depend on tourism, the travel advisory is more than a warning, it is a wall between Kashmir and the world,” Mufti said.

She said withdrawing the advisory would “send a powerful message of confidence”, help bring international tourists back and provide relief to families whose livelihoods depend on the tourism sector.

What does the US advisory mean?

The US State Department’s travel advisory system has four levels, with Level 4 — “Do Not Travel” — being the highest. The department describes Level 4 as applying where there is a greater likelihood of life-threatening risks and warns that the US government may have limited ability to assist its citizens during an emergency.

The advisory for Jammu and Kashmir has remained a significant concern for the region’s tourism industry, particularly as the administration has sought to attract more international visitors.

Gor’s visit comes amid renewed diplomatic engagement with Jammu and Kashmir. Before meeting the ambassador, Abdullah said issues concerning the Union Territory should be addressed by New Delhi rather than Washington, stressing that he did not intend to seek intervention from a foreign government.

Gor’s remarks during his visit suggesting that the advisory should be downgraded could therefore mark a potential shift in the US position on travel to the region.

For Mufti, lifting the warning would have an economic as well as diplomatic significance, by signalling greater confidence in Kashmir as a destination for international tourists.