Indian and Pakistani Citizens Urge Leaders to Restore Ties

A group of more than 100 prominent citizens from India and Pakistan, including former diplomats, academics, and political leaders, issued a joint open letter to Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif. Led by Gandhian O.P. Shah, the signatories urge the two nuclear-armed nations to restore diplomatic engagement, formal dialogue, and people-to-people contact.

Relations between the two neighbors have been deeply strained since 2016, following terror attacks in Pathankot and Uri. The situation further deteriorated during a military crisis in 2025, during which the Government of India placed the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. The group argues that this sustained diplomatic paralysis imposes significant strategic and economic costs, pointing out that intra-regional trade in South Asia remains significantly lower than in other blocs like ASEAN.

To prevent recurring crises and manage competition through responsible statecraft, the appeal suggests implementing incremental measures. These include expanding visa access and rebuilding commercial ties to stabilize the region.