Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday (July 2, 2026) backed initiatives seeking resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan, saying “his party wants relations between neighbours to improve”.
Referring to the joint open letter signed by over 100 individuals from India and Pakistan, Mr. Abdullah said, “A request is being made to the Prime Minister via a letter to find a way to improve relations between the two countries. No one should have any objection to this. Recently, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat stated that India and Pakistan should talk to each other and establish friendly ties. No one objects when the RSS says it.”
Recalling the statement made by former Prime Minister, the late BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mr. Abdullah said, “Mr. Vajpayee would say ‘one can change friends but not neighbours’. We also want relations between neighbours to improve.”
He said cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan had persisted for decades and worsened after the Pahalgam terror attack last year.
“Our position on dialogue with Pakistan is not new. It has been consistent for decades. But when we speak, we are accused of being anti-national. Why do similar remarks by leaders from Jammu and Kashmir invite sharp criticism, while statements favouring dialogue by senior RSS leaders do not?” he added.
“The recent appeal by over 100 prominent citizens from both countries reflects a sentiment that has long been expressed across the political spectrum. If calls for peace and engagement are welcomed from some quarters, they should not become controversial when voiced from Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Mr. Abdullah added there should be no objection to advocating dialogue and normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan.
Published – July 03, 2026 01:49 am IST
