Akshay DidwaniyaKashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq urged India and Pakistan to pursue direct talks saying PM Modi, as one of India’s longest-serving leaders, holds the power to revive the spirit of regional engagement.
Mirwaiz Pushes for India-Pakistan Talks Amid Renewed Buzz Around Back-Channel Diplomacy
Kashmir’s top religious leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, has made a strong pitch for direct talks between India and Pakistan and he says now is the right time. His appeal comes amid growing chatter around track-2 diplomacy between the two nations in Sri Lanka and Thailand.
Speaking at the packed Friday congregation at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid, Mirwaiz drew on a striking parallel the Iran-US Memorandum of Understanding that helped ease conflict in the Middle East. He urged both South Asian neighbours to take a similar path of dialogue and diplomacy.
“India and Pakistan carry special responsibility for regional peace. As one of India’s longest-serving Leaders, Prime Minister Modi can revive the spirit of engagement. Dialogue remains the most reliable path to lasting solutions,” said Mirwaiz.
Wars Have Limits The World Just Proved It
Mirwaiz pointed to the US-Israel confrontation with Iran as a timely reminder that military power, no matter how overwhelming, cannot deliver lasting peace.
“Wars can alter circumstances and inflict immense suffering, but durable peace and lasting solutions ultimately require dialogue, negotiation, and statesmanship,” said Mirwaiz.
He praised the peace efforts of Pakistan and Qatar in working to end the Middle East conflict. He made it clear diplomacy and dialogue are not signs of weakness. They are an honest acceptance that force alone cannot resolve deep-rooted disputes.
South Asia’s Untapped Potential Held Back by Mistrust
Mirwaiz, the former head of the All-Party Hurriyat Conference, made a compelling case for why the stakes are so high in South Asia.
“This lesson is especially relevant for South Asia, particularly India and Pakistan. Our region is home to nearly one-fourth of humanity. It possesses immense civilizational wealth, extraordinary human resources, and enormous economic potential. Yet for decades, political tensions, mistrust, and unresolved issues have prevented the peoples of this region from fully realising these possibilities. Societies suffer not only economically, but also emotionally and psychologically,” he said.
The region’s people, he argued, are paying a heavy price not just in economic terms but in emotional and psychological suffering as well.
Courage to Listen Even to Those You Disagree With
Mirwaiz was clear that sustainable peace cannot be built on the back of war or violence. Real, lasting solutions demand something harden genuine engagement and the courage to hear out the other side.
“Lasting solutions require engagement, understanding, and the courage to listen even to those with whom one disagrees,” he said.
Modi’s Early Vision Can It Be Revived?
Mirwaiz reminded the audience that when PM Modi first came to power, he spoke of regional cooperation and showed genuine interest in better ties with neighbouring countries. That early energy, Mirwaiz said, must find expression again.
“We hope that the spirit of engagement that marked PM Modi’s early years as PM, and the efforts under leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh, once again finds expression,” he said.
Patience Is the Price of Peace
Mirwaiz wrapped up his appeal with a sober but hopeful message for leaders on both sides of the border.
“Peace may be difficult. Dialogue may be slow. Diplomacy may demand patience. Yet these remain the most reliable instruments for resolving issues and securing a better future,” Mirwaiz said.
Pratik Agrawal
The BRICS Times