Mehbooba Mufti says J&K should become a bridge of friendship between India and Pakistan

Mehbooba Mufti, the president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir, spoke out clearly on May 31, 2025, about the future of her region. She said that Jammu and Kashmir should become a bridge of friendship between India and Pakistan. She wants the area to be a place where people from both countries can understand each other, not a place of fighting and war.

Mufti addressed her party workers in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir. She said that the people of her state have suffered a lot because of war and violence for many years. She feels strongly that the fighting should stop. Instead of war, she wants peace so that people can live normal lives, work, and grow their economy.

Mehbooba Mufti’s message is simple: Jammu and Kashmir should help build friendship and cooperation between India and Pakistan. She does not want it to be a place where armies fight and people lose their lives.

She also criticized some leaders in Kashmir who call for more military action against Pakistan. She said that such statements are dangerous and reflect a mindset that only leads to more violence and death. According to her, only her party, the PDP, has been consistently asking for an end to the fighting and wants people to live with dignity and peace.

Mufti also talked about past political decisions. She reminded people about when the Indian government stopped water supply to Pakistan by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. This treaty was an agreement between India and Pakistan on how to share river water. Mehbooba said that even then, Omar Abdullah, a former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, supported this decision and wanted the water supply to stop immediately.

However, she made it clear that although there are political differences with the Pakistani government, the PDP does not see Pakistan’s people as enemies. She expressed sadness over harsh remarks made by some leaders from Jammu and Kashmir who should be promoting peace but instead are encouraging war.

Mehbooba Mufti also warned that the growing talk about war is hurting the people of Jammu and Kashmir. She said some leaders want more war and more deaths, but the PDP wants peace and a better life for the people.

Background: Operation Sindoor and its aftermath

To understand why Mehbooba Mufti spoke about peace, it helps to know recent events that have made the situation in Jammu and Kashmir very tense.

In April 2025, a terrible terror attack happened in Pahalgam, a tourist town in Kashmir. On April 22, terrorists killed 26 innocent civilians in one of the worst attacks on civilians in recent years. This attack shocked the entire country.

In response, India launched a military operation called “Operation Sindoor” on May 7. This was India’s direct strike on terror camps located inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). India targeted nine terror camps during pre-dawn hours. Reports say India killed at least 100 terrorists in this operation.

Operation Sindoor triggered a series of military exchanges between India and Pakistan. The two countries fired missiles, flew fighter jets, used armed drones, and engaged in heavy artillery fire along the border. This fighting went on for four days and created a lot of fear and tension in the region.

One of the most intense moments came on the night of May 9-10, when the Indian Air Force struck 13 Pakistani air bases and military installations. This was a major escalation and showed how serious both sides had become.

After several days of heavy fighting, India and Pakistan agreed to stop the hostilities on May 10. Both countries reached an understanding to reduce tensions and avoid further war.

This military action, though seen as a strong response by many in India, also caused fear and uncertainty among the people living in Jammu and Kashmir. The ongoing cycle of attacks and counterattacks hurt normal life and made it hard for people to feel safe.

In this context, Mehbooba Mufti’s call for peace and friendship stands out. She wants Jammu and Kashmir to stop being a battlefield and instead become a place where people from India and Pakistan can live in harmony.

Jammu and Kashmir is a region that has faced many challenges because of its location. It lies between India and Pakistan, two countries that have fought several wars and have ongoing tensions.

Because of this, the people of Jammu and Kashmir have often been caught in the middle. They have lived through years of violence, military presence, and political conflict. Many families have lost loved ones, and many people live in fear.

Mehbooba Mufti’s message is important because she is one of the few leaders from the region who openly speaks for peace. She tries to represent the hopes of many ordinary people who want to live without fear and violence.

She also highlights that political disagreements should not turn into hatred against people. The people of Pakistan are not the enemy, but political problems between governments can create divisions.

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Her call to make Jammu and Kashmir a "bridge of friendship" is about changing the way people think. Instead of seeing each other as enemies, she wants both sides to work together to build trust and cooperation.

Many people in Jammu and Kashmir have mixed feelings about the situation. Some support stronger military action to protect the region, while others agree with Mehbooba Mufti that peace talks and dialogue are the only ways forward.

The recent attacks and military responses have made the situation more dangerous and uncertain. Families worry about their safety, and businesses face losses because of the violence.

Peace advocates like Mehbooba Mufti believe that long-lasting peace can only come through talks and understanding, not through weapons and wars.

The Role of Political Leaders

Political leaders have a big role to play in shaping the future of Jammu and Kashmir. Leaders who promote peace can help reduce violence and bring communities together.

But when leaders encourage war or use harsh language, it adds fuel to the fire. It can make people more angry and create more divisions.

Mehbooba Mufti is warning against the “rising tide of war rhetoric” and asking leaders to be careful about their words. She says that her party, the PDP, wants to focus on peace and the rights of people to live safely and with dignity.

The path ahead for Jammu and Kashmir is difficult. The region needs peace to develop its economy, improve education, and provide jobs to its people.

If war continues, the people will suffer more. But if peace talks succeed, Jammu and Kashmir could become a symbol of cooperation between India and Pakistan.

Mehbooba Mufti’s vision is that the region should no longer be a place of conflict. Instead, it should be a place where people from both sides work together for a better future.