Calls for India-Pakistan dialogue gather support in held Kashmir

ISLAMABAD: Calls for renewed engagement between India and Pakistan are gaining traction in India, with political leaders in India-held Kashmir also backing efforts to reduce tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

According to Dawn, former chief ministers of India-held Kashmir Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have supported a recent call by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Secretary General Dattatreya Hosabale for the Indian government to open peace talks with Pakistan and encourage people-to-people contact between the two countries.

Both Abdullah and Mufti had previously faced criticism for advocating dialogue with Pakistan during periods of heightened hostility. However, the response appears to be different this time.

“It is a very significant move that the RSS leader called for talks with Pakistan, and a former army chief [retired Gen Manoj Naravane] has backed his statement. I am glad that somebody from India has realised that war is no solution and dialogue is the only way forward,” Abdullah said, according to India’s NDTV report cited by Dawn.

Abdullah said the latest developments suggested there was now wider recognition in India that military confrontation could not resolve disputes and that negotiations were necessary.

Mehbooba Mufti also welcomed the call for talks. She said such a position was important because it came from figures linked to India’s establishment and could help create space for a different approach towards Pakistan.

The Dawn report said the push for dialogue has gathered momentum only days after the first anniversary of Marka-i-Haq. Support for engagement is no longer limited to traditional advocates of reconciliation, with voices from within India’s mainstream political and ideological circles also speaking in favour of talks.

Hosabale’s remarks were followed by support from retired Indian army chief Gen Manoj Naravane. Their intervention has been seen by leaders in India-held Kashmir as a notable shift in the debate around relations with Pakistan.

Support from Kashmir leaders

Abdullah and Mufti have long argued that sustained hostility between the two countries has harmed the region and that dialogue remains the only viable path. The Dawn report said their endorsement of the latest call reflects a broader hope that the current opening may be more politically significant than previous such appeals.

The two leaders’ support comes at a time when public discussion in India over ties with Pakistan appears to be widening. The emphasis in the latest calls has been not only on formal negotiations but also on restoring contact between people on both sides.

The backing from senior figures in India-held Kashmir has added to the momentum behind calls for de-escalation and dialogue.

The development marks a fresh addition to the debate over India-Pakistan relations, with leaders from India-held Kashmir publicly aligning themselves with recent statements from the RSS leadership and a former army chief in favour of peace talks.