Jammu and Kashmir | Mehbooba Mufti backs RSS leader’s call for Indo-Pak dialogue

Srinagar: Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday welcomed RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale’s remarks favouring dialogue with Pakistan, saying the statement underlined the need for political engagement to address tensions in Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking in Srinagar, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it was significant that a senior RSS leader had publicly argued against shutting the doors on Pakistan despite continued hostility and concerns over terrorism.

She maintained that there was no alternative to dialogue for ensuring lasting peace in the region.

Hosabale had earlier said India should not completely close communication channels with Pakistan, while stressing that terrorism and national security concerns could not be ignored.

His remarks triggered political reactions across the country, particularly because they came from a senior functionary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Backing the statement, Mehbooba said Jammu and Kashmir had benefited during earlier phases of India-Pakistan engagement under former prime ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh.

She said periods of dialogue had reduced violence and created space for political outreach in the Valley.

The PDP chief also alleged that the current atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir was marked by fear and excessive surveillance, claiming that employees were being dismissed, homes demolished and cases filed over social media activity.

She said such a situation made political dialogue even more necessary.

Mehbooba further argued that countries engaged in prolonged conflicts eventually return to negotiations and that India and Pakistan should also pursue peaceful engagement instead of remaining locked in hostility.

The PDP has consistently advocated reconciliation and India-Pakistan engagement since its formation by former Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in 1999.

The party’s “healing touch” policy and support for cross-LoC confidence-building measures formed a key part of its political approach during peace initiatives in the 2000s.

The remarks assume significance amid the absence of any formal engagement process between New Delhi and Islamabad and continuing political uncertainty in J&K.