Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday strongly defended calls for renewed dialogue between India and Pakistan, saying no one should oppose efforts aimed at improving bilateral relations and promoting long-term peace in the region.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event, Abdullah said the conflict between the two neighbouring countries was not new and had persisted for nearly four decades. Referring to the security situation following last year’s Pahalgam terror attackhe said recent appeals for diplomatic engagement should not be viewed with suspicion.
“This conflict is 30 to 40 years old. After the Pahalgam attack, tensions escalated further. Now there is a letter requesting the Prime Minister to improve relations between the two countries. No one should have any objection to such an initiative,” Abdullah said.
His remarks came after a cross-border peace initiative in which 61 Indian and 55 Pakistani signatories urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to revive bilateral dialogue and restore normal diplomatic engagement.
The letter, coordinated by the Centre for Peace and Progresscalled on both governments to take “meaningful and sustained steps towards restoring peace, normalcy, dialogue and cooperation in South Asia.”
Questioning criticism of the initiative, Abdullah pointed out that leaders associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had also advocated improved ties with Pakistan in the past.
“When RSS leaders speak about improving relations with Pakistan, it does not become controversial. But when leaders from Jammu and Kashmir express the same view, it suddenly becomes an issue,” he said.
Invoking former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s well-known diplomatic principle, Abdullah added that while friends may change, neighbours cannot. He said India and Pakistan must find ways to coexist peacefully through sustained dialogue.
The peace appeal has drawn support from several prominent public figures on both sides of the border. Indian signatories include former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Muftiformer RAW chief A.S. DulatRajya Sabha MP Manoj Jhaand former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar. Pakistani signatories include former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuriformer diplomat Ashraf Jehangir Qaziretired officials and civil society representatives.
The appeal comes at a time when bilateral ties remain strained over security concerns, cross-border terrorism and the absence of formal diplomatic engagement. While there has been no official response from either government to the letter, Abdullah’s remarks have once again brought the debate over dialogue versus confrontation to the forefront of political discourse.
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