📅 July 02, 2026 , Srinagar : Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday urged the Central Government to pursue dialogue with both Pakistan and China, saying that Jammu and Kashmir’s strategic geographical location should be used to promote peace, regional connectivity, and economic cooperation instead of conflict.
Addressing reporters in Srinagar, Mufti said India should engage with its neighbouring countries through negotiations while safeguarding national sovereignty. She advocated reopening cross-border routes to encourage trade, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people contact.
Referring to China’s presence in parts of Ladakh, Mufti said that dialogue remains the most practical way to address regional challenges. “Without undermining the sovereignty of our country and Pakistan, there is a good formula—open the roads and meet each other,” she said.
Highlighting Jammu and Kashmir’s strategic importance, the PDP chief compared the region’s potential to global trade corridors, stating that J&K could become the gateway connecting Central Asia and South Asia if connectivity with neighbouring countries is restored.
Mufti said the Union Territory has for decades remained caught in the tensions between India and Pakistan and should instead emerge as a symbol of peace and cooperation.
“Jammu and Kashmir has become a battlefield. It should become a bridge of peace,” she said, reiterating her party’s long-standing stand in favour of dialogue and reconciliation.
She also called for reopening cross-border roads and strengthening cultural and economic exchanges, arguing that improved relations between neighbouring countries would benefit not only Jammu and Kashmir but the entire region.
Welcoming recent remarks by senior RSS leaders supporting dialogue, Mufti recalled former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s well-known observation that while friends may change, neighbours cannot. She added that the legacy of any Prime Minister should be judged by the conflicts resolved rather than the length of tenure.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Mufti said both leaders have an opportunity to improve bilateral relations and rebuild trust.
The PDP president also criticised the Centre’s August 2019 decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 and Article 35A, claiming the move had failed to reduce alienation in the region. She alleged that despite the constitutional changes, public discontent remains and there is limited space for dissent and peaceful protest.
The remarks come amid continuing political debate over Jammu and Kashmir’s future, regional connectivity, and India-Pakistan relations.
