117 prominent Indians, Pakistanis urge Modi, Sharif to resume dialogue
What's the story
Over 100 prominent citizens from India and Pakistan have written an open letter to Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, urging them to take meaningful and sustained steps toward restoring peace, normalcy, dialogue and cooperation between the neighbors. It was signed by 61 Indians and 56 Pakistanis, including political leaders like Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti from India and former Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri and nuclear physicist and author Pervez Hoodbhoy from Pakistan.
Diplomatic proposals
Suggest measures to restore peace
The letter, issued by the Centre for Peace and Progress, suggests several measures to restore peace. These include restoring full diplomatic relations, reinstating High Commissioners in both capitals, resuming normal visa services, and reopening airspace for commercial flights. It also calls for reopening the Attari-Wagah land border and resuming the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service as part of cross-border connectivity initiatives.
Call for dialogue
Call for comprehensive bilateral dialogue
The letter stresses that decades of estrangement have hindered collective potential and imposed social, economic, and human costs. "India and Pakistan together are home to nearly one-fifth of humanity. A large proportion of our population is young. The people of both countries deserve a future defined by peace, development, connectivity and cooperation, rather than perpetual mistrust and confrontation," the letter stated. "We believe that sustained engagement and dialogue remain the only viable path to resolving differences."
Cultural access
Confidence-building measures
The letter also calls for reopening the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor and Sharada Peeth in Pakistan's Neelum Valley. It seeks easier travel to religious and cultural heritage sites on both sides of the border as confidence-building measures. "We respectfully request you to listen to the aspirations of common people and choose engagement over isolation, dialogue over hostility and cooperation over confrontation," it states.
Neutral appeal
Not an endorsement of any political position
The letter clarifies that it is not an endorsement of any political position. Instead, it calls to prioritize the welfare and aspirations of nearly two billion people above conflict and division. New Delhi has repeatedly stated that its approach toward Pakistan remains unchanged, asserting that "terror and talks cannot coexist and terror and trade cannot go hand in hand," emphasizing that any progress in bilateral relations is contingent on an end to cross-border terrorism.