The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said that a war between India and Pakistan was no longer an option as it would mean a disaster for the two neighbouring countries. In its monthly newsletter ‘Speak Up’, the opposition party said it was time to show restraint, de-escalate and hold dialogue.

“War is no more an option; it is a disaster for the two neighbours if the leadership does not rise to the occasion. Now is not the time for triumphalism. Now is the time for restraint – for de-escalation, for dialogue, for the quiet courage it takes to pull back from the edge,” the party said.

Commenting on the events of the past two weeks, the PDP said that for a few harrowing days this month, the subcontinent stood on the edge of catastrophe.

“Missiles flew, drones buzzed across borders, and entire villages along the Line of Control braced for impact. It wasn’t just a skirmish – it was a brush with full-fledged war. Civilians on both sides paid the price. Children died. Families fled. Farmland turned into military outposts overnight. And for what?” the party asked.

National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah said it is “unrealistic” to expect his party-led government, formed last year, to bring overnight transformation in Jammu and Kashmir as the “developmental setbacks” of the last decade cannot be reversed instantly.

“The government’s mandate spans five years, and it is unrealistic to expect a newly formed administration to transform the region overnight. The developmental setbacks our region has endured over the past decade cannot be reversed in mere moments; there is no magic solution,” Mr. Abdullah said.

He said through ongoing concerted efforts and active public participation, the NC government has established a clear trajectory aimed at addressing these long-standing challenges.

Operation Sindoor has brought into sharp focus the importance of drones in modern warfare, which along with space and cyberspace will write the new paradigm of future military conflicts, a former Director General of Military Operation, who oversaw the Doklam crisis, has said.

In an interview with PTI Videos on Thursday (May 15, 2025), retired Lt. Gen. Anil Kumar Bhatt also expressed his displeasure at suggestions in social media by many “war-mongers”, who were unhappy with the conflict ending in four days on the grounds that it was an opportunity to reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Mr. Shehbaz made the comments during a visit to the Kamra air base in Pakistan’s Punjab province where he interacted with officers and soldiers involved in the recent military confrontation with India.

“We are ready to talk with it (India) for peace,” he said. The Prime Minister added that the “conditions for peace” include the Kashmir issue. India has maintained that the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh “are and always will be integral and inalienable parts of it”.