Mehbooba, Mirwaiz call for de-escalation

Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday urged both India and Pakistan to "de-escalate and show restraint."

Mirwaiz said that as the threat of war intensifies and precious lives continue to be lost, "deep sorrow and anxiety grips our hearts."

"Unfortunately, whenever tensions rise between India and Pakistan, the people of Jammu and Kashmir bear the brunt. Across the Line of Control (LoC), people are facing immense hardships as the loss of their lives, shelter and livelihoods is seen only as collateral damage," he said.

“I urge both the countries to urgently de-escalate and not to tread on this dangerous path, which can only lead to destruction,” Mirwaiz said.

Meanwhile, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also called for political intervention to resolve the issues between the two nations, emphasising that military action cannot bring lasting peace to the region.

Addressing a press conference, she appealed to the leadership of both countries to exercise restraint and put an immediate halt to the attacks.

“Civilians on both sides of Jammu and Kashmir are getting killed. They did not start this war, and it is not being fought by their will but they are paying a huge price right now,” she said.

“For how long will the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially those living near the borders, continue to witness destruction? For how long will mothers have to see their kids dying?” she added.

“People are abandoning their homes. Lives have been lost—including those of children and women. There is an urgent need for restraint. The immediate priority must be de-escalation. The leadership of both nations must seriously consider stepping back from the brink,” she urged.

Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said, “He had stated that this is not an era of wars and that political dialogue is the way forward. Please do not allow the blood of innocent civilians to be spilled.”

She also appealed to the media on both sides to report responsibly. “There is a limit to war propaganda. I urge the media not to spread panic through sensationalism,” she said.