Over 100 Indian and Pakistani figures urge Modi and Sharif to restart stalled diplomatic talks

The joint letter endorsed by 117 notable personalities, 61 from India and 56 from Pakistan, seeks to end the diplomatic impasse between the two countries.

A Pakistani Ranger stands guard during the 'Beating Retreat' ceremony at the border gates of Pakistan and India at the Wagah border post near Lahore on May 4, 2025.

(photo credit: Photo by ARIF ALI/AFP via Getty Images)

ByARSHAD MEHMOOD/THE MEDIA LINE

JULY 3, 2026 22:15

More than 100 influential voices from India and Pakistan are urging Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif to resume stalled diplomatic discussions and normalize relations.

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In a notable effort to encourage fresh engagement between the two nuclear powers, over 100 leading individuals from India and Pakistan have appealed directly to Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif to overcome the extended diplomatic freeze and rebuild standard bilateral connections.

The effort was led by OP Shah, a prominent Indian peace activist and founder-chairman of the Centre for Peace and Progress, a civil society group focused on promoting dialogue and reconciliation between India and Pakistan.

As reported by numerous top Indian news organizations, this letter carries the signatures of 117 eminent personalities, including 61 from India and 56 from Pakistan.

According to reports, the signatories have called for the revival of a structured and comprehensive dialogue process, proposing the negotiation framework used during the 2004-2007 period as a possible model for renewed engagement. The statement presents a detailed roadmap aimed at reducing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.

High-ranking former officials involved in the initiative

It calls for the restoration of high commissioners, the reopening of key trade and transport links, including the Atari-Wagah border crossing, the lifting of restrictions on commercial airspace, and the easing of visa regulations to facilitate greater movement of families, students, and business communities.

Emphasizing the human and economic costs of continued hostility, the signatories warned that prolonged confrontation between the two countries was undermining the future prospects of millions of young people across South Asia. The appeal stressed that the aspirations and well-being of nearly two billion people should take precedence over political differences and historical disputes.

The initiative has drawn significant attention due to the stature of its participants. Among the Indian signatories are former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and former RAW (Indian top spy agency) chief AS Dulat, along with lawmakers, academics, and public intellectuals including Mani Shankar Aiyar, Manoj Jha, and Apoorvanand.

Pakistani signatories include former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, veteran diplomat Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, physicist Pervez Hoodbhoy, and civil society figures Beena Sarwar and Salima Hashmi.

The appeal comes at a particularly sensitive moment in India-Pakistan relations following the escalation triggered by the May 2025 conflict between nuclear neighbors.

Supporters of the initiative, however, argue that it builds on limited signs of renewed engagement, including recent Track-2 diplomatic efforts in Colombo and public remarks from sections of India's political establishment highlighting the importance of maintaining communication channels.

While both governments continue to face intense domestic political pressures and longstanding security concerns, the letter reflects a continuing push from civil society groups that dialogue and sustained engagement remain essential for preventing further escalation and unlocking regional economic opportunities.

New Delhi and Islamabad have not yet issued an official response.