ISLAMABAD: More than 100 civil society representatives from Pakistan and India have jointly appealed to the prime ministers of both countries to take “meaningful and sustained” steps towards restoring peace, dialogue and cooperation in South Asia.
The joint appeal, coordinated by O. P. Shah, head of the New Delhi-based Centre for Peace and Progress, said continued tensions between the two neighbours were depriving millions of young people of “opportunities, prosperity and a secure future.”
“India and Pakistan combined are home to nearly one-fifth of humanity. The people of both countries deserve a future defined by peace, development, connectivity and cooperation, rather than perpetual mistrust and confrontation,” the signatories said in separate letters addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A total of 116 signatories called on both governments to pursue confidence-building measures across diplomatic, economic, cultural and people-to-people channels.
The Pakistani signatories include former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, former ambassador Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, academic Pervez Hoodbhoy, former senator Farhatullah Babar, journalist Beena Sarwar, artist Salima Hashmi, Mohammad Mehdi and educationist A.H. Nayyar.
Among the Indian signatories are Farooq Abdullah, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Mehbooba Mufti, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Prof Manoj Jha, former RAW chief A.S. Dulat, Jawhar Sircar, Prof Saifuddin Soz and Prof Apoorvanand.
The appeal urged both governments to restore full diplomatic relations, reappoint high commissioners in Islamabad and New Delhi, and resume visa services.
It also called for the revival of bilateral talks on all outstanding issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, while encouraging measures aimed at demilitarisation and reducing tensions. The signatories suggested that the dialogue framework developed between 2004 and 2007 could serve as the basis for renewed engagement.
In addition, they proposed reopening the Wagah-Attari land border, restoring the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Lahore-Delhi bus services, and resuming the Samjhauta Express and Thar Express train services. They also recommended reopening the Kargil–Skardu route and allowing commercial flights to resume over each other’s airspace.
The appeal further advocated restoring trade relations, reinstating Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status, and promoting greater regional economic integration.
Highlighting the importance of people-to-people contact, the signatories urged both governments to ease travel restrictions, encourage pilgrimage tourism and reopen religious and cultural sites, including the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor and Sharada Peeth.
They also called for lifting restrictions on media organisations and digital platforms, allowing journalists to travel freely and encouraging exchanges to counter misinformation.
The appeal concluded: “We respectfully request you to listen to the aspirations of common people and choose engagement over isolation, dialogue over hostility and cooperation over confrontation.”
