She is in Pakistan on four-day visit
SAMAA | Samaa Web Desk - Posted: Apr 22, 2022
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar met former PM Imran Khan
on April 20, 2022. Photo: Twitter/IlhanMN
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, known for her stance on Islamophobia and Kashmir cause, arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday on a four-day visit.
During her stay in Pakistan she met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Arif Alvi as well as former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan.
On Thursday, she along with a delegation comprising with Timothy Mynett, Nicholas Lampson and Tahir Javed visited Line of Control in Azad Kashmir.
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, known for her stance on Islamophobia and Kashmir cause, arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday on a four-day visit.
During her stay in Pakistan she met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Arif Alvi as well as former prime minister and PTI chairman Imran Khan.
On Thursday, she along with a delegation comprising with Timothy Mynett, Nicholas Lampson and Tahir Javed visited Line of Control in Azad Kashmir.
State Department Spokesperson Ned Price was asked by ARY News reporter to confirm Thursday if it’s true that Ilhan Omar is representing Biden government in Islamabad and the US is trying to clear the air with Imran Khan as claimed by his close associates.
“Well, as I understand it, Representative Omar is not visiting Pakistan on U.S. Government-sponsored travel,” said Price. He referred the report to Omar’s office for questions on her travel.
Who is Ilhan Omar?
The 39-year-old Omar belongs to the Democrats and represents the State of Minnesota in Congress. She is the first Somali-American legislator and one of the two Muslim women elected to the US Congress in 2018. Omar was sworn into office in January 2019.
Born in Somalia, Omar’s family fled the country’s civil war when she was eight. The family spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya before coming to the United States in the 1990s. In 1997, she moved to Minneapolis with her family.
The 39-year-old Omar belongs to the Democrats and represents the State of Minnesota in Congress. She is the first Somali-American legislator and one of the two Muslim women elected to the US Congress in 2018. Omar was sworn into office in January 2019.
Born in Somalia, Omar’s family fled the country’s civil war when she was eight. The family spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya before coming to the United States in the 1990s. In 1997, she moved to Minneapolis with her family.
Stance on Kashmir
Omar has stalwartly supported Kashmiris and has been vocal against the Indian atrocities in the valley.
In 2019, Omar had called for an immediate restoration of communication, respect for human rights, and religious freedom when the Indian government unilaterally scrapped the law that grants special status to Indian occupied Kashmir, saying that the international organisations should be allowed to fully document what is happening on the ground.
‘Islamophobia pervades our culture’
In 2021, Omar had tabled legislation to create a special envoy combatting Islamophobia following anti-Muslim comments by her colleague calling the Minnesota Democrat a terrorist.
She highlighted that Islamophobia pervades the US’ culture, politics and even policy decisions suggesting that Muslim women are all oppressed, or that Muslims hate other religions.
‘Omar not allowed to enter Israel’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu banned the two Democratic U.S. congresswomen from visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories over their remarks on the Israeli government and Trump’s unwavering support of suppressing Palestinians.
The two representatives also had voted against a nonbinding resolution condemning a Palestinian-led movement calling for boycotts, divestment and sanctions in Israel, which they have repeatedly defended.
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