‘Takes time to de-escalate’: Mehbooba Mufti on cessation of hostilities between India-Pak

BARAMULLA(Jammu and Kashmir): People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday urged for patience and restraint amid the ongoing tensions along the India-Pakistan border and said that agreements over cessation of hostilities take time to be implemented.

In a call for peace amidst rising tensions along the India-Pakistan border, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti emphasised the importance of patience and dialogue.

Mufti said, “Ceasefire takes time. When the militaries of two countries are in eye-to-eye contact, it takes time to de-escalate. There should be some patience.”

She further emphasised the human cost of warfare, urging the public to refrain from adopting a mindset that glorifies conflict.

“We should not turn into people who are always ready to fight a war. When a war is fought, people lose their homes, their lives are lost, children are killed, they become orphans, and hospitals are filled with people. So, war is not a solution for anything,” she said.

On Saturday, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti welcomed the Indian-Pakistan understanding and called for political dialogue to resolve cross-border tensions.

Hours after it agreed to stop all firing and military action on land, in the air and sea, following a call its DGMO made to his Indian counterpart, reports came of Pakistan violating the cessation of hostilities with India.

At a special briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said this is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today and India takes “very serious note of these violations.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and tri-services chiefs at his 7, Lok Kalyan Marg residence in New Delhi.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan were also present at the meeting.

The meeting comes after days of heightened tension with Pakistan along the western border, following Operation Sindoor carried out by the Indian Armed Forces on May 7.

The operation targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which claimed the lives of 26 tourists. (ANI)