India And Pakistan Leaders Urge PM Modi, Sharif To Restore Diplomatic Engagement
Cross-border leaders urge restoration of bilateral ties.
Over 100 prominent politicians, former diplomats, and civil society members from India and Pakistan have jointly written to Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, urging both governments to restore diplomatic engagement and normalise bilateral relations. The appeal comes at a time when ties between the two neighbours remain strained, with limited official contact and restricted people-to-people exchanges.
The open letter, signed by 116 individuals including 61 from India and 55 from Pakistan, calls for the restoration of full diplomatic relations between the two countries. The signatories have urged the reinstatement of high commissioners, the resumption of normal visa services, and the revival of structured bilateral dialogue covering all outstanding issues. The initiative was coordinated by OP Shah, chairman of the Centre for Peace and Progress, and is dated June 30.
Among the prominent signatories are former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, former RAW chief A.S. Dulat, Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha, former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar, former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, and former Pakistan diplomat Ashraf Jehangir Qazi. The inclusion of leaders from diverse political and diplomatic backgrounds underscores the cross-border nature of the appeal.
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The letter urges both governments to take “meaningful and sustained steps” towards peace, cooperation, and stability in South Asia. It stresses that sustained dialogue remains the only viable path to resolving differences and calls for discussions on long-standing issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. The signatories also referenced earlier diplomatic frameworks negotiated between 2004 and 2007, suggesting renewed engagement alongside steps toward de-escalation and addressing security concerns on both sides.
In addition to diplomatic measures, the appeal calls for the reopening of trade and transport links, including the Attari-Wagah land border, and the restoration of commercial arrangements such as the Most Favoured Nation (or equivalent non-discriminatory trade status). It also seeks the revival of cross-border bus and train services, reopening of key routes like Kargil-Skardu, and expanded civil aviation connectivity. Further, the letter advocates easing travel restrictions, reopening religious corridors such as Kartarpur Sahib and Sharada Peeth, and promoting exchanges among students, journalists, artists, and business communities.
The signatories emphasised that India and Pakistan together represent nearly one-fifth of the global population, with a large youth demographic that stands to benefit from improved relations. They argued that continued hostility limits opportunities for prosperity and development, and concluded by urging both governments to prioritise dialogue over confrontation and cooperation over conflict in the broader interest of regional stability.
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