New Delhi (India) July 2: As many as 117 prominent citizens from India and Pakistan wrote a joint open letter appealing to the Prime Ministers of the two neighbouring nations India and Pakistan to revive bilateral dialogue and reduce the pace of hostility in the region.
India's Strong Stance on Terrorism
The appeal came despite India asserting that its stance on dialogue with Pakistan has not changed, stating clearly that terror and talks cannot go hand in hand. In its reiteration on the ongoing ties with Pakistan, India stated that the resolution of bilateral issues is directly linked to Pakistan ceasing to patronize cross-border terrorism.
Signatories Stress Peace for Future Generations
A total of 117 citizens - 61 from India and 56 from Pakistan - have put forth their views to bring to an end the current prolonged spell of animosity between the two countries. The signatories claimed that prolonged animosity had denied opportunities to millions of young people and future generations.
“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 said.
“Decades of estrangement has hindered our collective potential and imposed significant social, economic and human costs. We believe that sustained engagement and dialogue remain the only viable path to resolving differences and building a stable and prosperous region,” it added.
Diplomatic Ties And Visas in Focus
The letter has asked for immediate resumption of full diplomatic ties, with relaxation of visa regimes and activation of exchanges among families, students, journalists, business professionals, artistes, academics and civil society members.
“We respectfully request you to listen to the aspirations of common people and choose engagement over isolation, dialogue over hostility and cooperation over confrontation. The future of South Asia should be shaped not by division and conflict, but by peace, prosperity and shared progress,” the letter stated.
Letter Backs Reopening Key Travel Routes
Further, it advocated opening the Attari-Wagah land border, restarting the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and the Delhi-Lahore bus services and establishing connectivity between Kargil in Ladakh and Skardu in Gilgit Baltistan.
The letter has urged the opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, seeking easy access to the Sharada Peeth and ease of movement to visit religious sites on both sides of the border.