Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Calls For Direct Talks Between India, Pakistan

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has called for direct talks between India and Pakistan amid a buzz over track-2 diplomacy between the two countries in Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Addressing the Friday congregation at Srinagar's Jamia Masjid, he cited the Iran-US Memorandum of Understanding to end the war in the Middle East and urged both India and Pakistan to pursue 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.

He said the US and Israel's war against Iran is a reminder that military force, however overwhelming, has its limits.

"Wars can alter circumstances and inflict immense suffering, but durable peace and lasting solutions ultimately require dialogue, negotiation, and statesmanship," said Mirwaiz.

Appreciating peace efforts by Pakistan and Qatar to end the Middle East war, Mirwaiz said that diplomacy and dialogue are not signs of weakness but acceptance of the reality that disputes cannot be resolved through force alone.

"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 former head of the All-Party Hurriyat conference, a separatist amalgam, Mirwaiz said that sustainable peace cannot emerge from wars, force, or violence. "Lasting solutions require engagement, understanding, and the courage to listen even to those with whom one disagrees," he said.

Mirwaiz said that when PM Modi assumed office, he spoke of regional cooperation and expressed interest in improving relations with neighbouring countries.

"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.

"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.