'Why Can't Pakistan Be Trusted?' Om Prakash Shah Faces Flak for Defending India-Pak Peace Appeal | EXCLUSIVE India-Pakistan Peace Appeal: Can Trust Be Built Between the Two Nations? Trust between India and Pakistan cannot be built without engagement, according to Om Prakash Shah, the principal signatory of a joint peace appeal. In an exclusive interview with Times Now, Shah emphasized that Pakistan should not be viewed solely through the lens of hostility, asking “Why can’t Pakistan be trusted? They are also humans.” The Current State of India-Pakistan Relations Shah described the current state of relations between India and Pakistan as “far from normal.” He noted that both countries do not have High Commissioners, highlighting the need for improved diplomatic relations. Shah stressed that responsibility lies with both sides, but acknowledged that Pakistan has a greater role in rebuilding trust. “Everyone must make efforts. Pakistan also has to do its part. They have a bigger role. That is why you can see many members of Pakistan’s civil society have also signed the letter,” he said. The Joint Peace Appeal: A Non-Government Initiative The joint appeal, signed by over 100 eminent citizens from both countries, urges the governments of India and Pakistan to restore diplomatic engagement, resume structured bilateral dialogue, and take confidence-building measures to improve bilateral ties. Shah described the appeal as a non-government initiative, representing a collective effort by civil society members from India and Pakistan to encourage peace and dialogue between the two neighbours. Backlash Against the Joint Letter Not everyone is in support of the joint peace appeal. BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla slammed the effort, calling it an attempt to revive dialogue with Pakistan despite repeated terror attacks. Poonawalla criticized the signatories, including Manoj Jha, Farooq Abdullah, and Mufeed, saying “Water and blood cannot flow together. Here comes a bunch of terror apologists… who are saying we should talk to Pakistan.” He argued that engaging in talks under such circumstances would send the wrong message and accused the signatories of disregarding the sacrifices made by India’s security forces. Source: WorldNewsAPI | Read original
