More than 117 prominent citizens from India and Pakistan have jointly written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Shehbaz Sharif, appealing for concrete steps to end prolonged hostility and restore bilateral dialogue. The letter, issued on 1 July by the Centre for Peace and Progress, was signed by 61 Indians and 56 Pakistanis, including politicians, former diplomats, and public figures.

The Core Appeal

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha, one of the Indian signatories, said the initiative was aimed at strengthening people-to-people contact. 'Our intention has always been consistent, and I have both written and spoken about it clearly. There is a difference between the state and the citizen. Music does not need a visa, films do not need a visa, and in the digital age, even cartoons do not need a visa,' he said.

Jha elaborated that cultural ties — music, poetry, and stories — transcend borders, a distinction he attributed to Mahatma Gandhi's teachings since the time of Partition. 'Engagement with the state is a matter between our government and their government, whether it concerns water-sharing, terrorism or other bilateral issues,' he added.

Pahalgam Attack and Diplomatic Contradictions

Jha also flagged what he called troubling contradictions in India's post-Pahalgam terror attack response. 'We are still disturbed that after the Pahalgam incident, cricket was played in Dubai. Was the entire country not in pain? At the same time, track-two diplomacy is taking place in Colombo,' he said.

On whether the reported track-two diplomacy in Colombo was happening with government knowledge, Jha said: 'Is this track-two diplomacy in Colombo taking place without the government's consent? Everyone knows under whose influence such decisions are being shaped. Gradually, everything will come out in the open.'

Notably, the letter comes approximately a year after Operation Sindoor, marking a significant moment for civil society voices on both sides to push back against the diplomatic freeze.

Key Signatories

The Indian signatories include National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti, and AJUP leader and former Bengal minister Humayun Kabir.

On the Pakistani side, signatories include former Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, former diplomat Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, National Assembly member Isphanyar Bhandara, and nuclear physicist and author Pervez Hoodbhoy.

What the Letter Demands

The joint appeal urged both governments to end the prolonged hostility, arguing it was 'depriving millions of young people of opportunities, prosperity and a secure future.' The signatories called for barrier-free people-to-people contact while suggesting that more complex bilateral irritants — including terrorism and water-sharing — be addressed through separate, sustained diplomatic engagement.

Jha also referenced recent statements from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying their intent was clear to those listening, and reiterated that the letter's focus was on grassroots contact rather than state-level negotiations. Whether either government formally responds to the appeal remains to be seen.