“Peace may be difficult. Dialogue may be slow. Diplomacy may demand patience. Yet these remain the most reliable instruments for resolving issues and securing a better future,” he said.Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday urged the Prime Minister to “revive the spirit of engagement” with Jammu and Kashmir.Addressing the Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid, Srinagar, Mirwaiz said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now among the longest-serving leaders in independent India. “When he assumed office, he spoke of regional cooperation and demonstrated an interest in improving relations with neighbouring countries. Those gestures generated hope across South Asia,” he said.Highlighting the efforts of previous prime ministers across political dispensations, including AB Vajpayee, and Manmohan Singh, he said that while differences remained, those engagements reflected an important principle, “dialogue itself has value”.“It reduces mistrust, humanises opposing perspectives and creates possibilities that otherwise remain closed,” he said.Mirwaiz expressed the hope that the spirit of engagement that informed Modi earlier and the efforts under leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh, once again finds expression.“Peace may be difficult. Dialogue may be slow. Diplomacy may demand patience. Yet these remain the most reliable instruments for resolving issues and securing a better future,” he said.Referring to recent global developments, Mirwaiz said the United States-Israel confrontation with Iran is a reminder that military force, however overwhelming, has its limits. He added that this lesson is especially relevant for South Asia, particularly India and Pakistan.Story continues below this adPointing to decades of political tensions, mistrust and unresolved issues, among the two national, he said that his own efforts, whether through the Awami Action Committee (now banned) that he inherited from his father, or later through the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC), he has consistently, for more than 36 years, “upheld this principle despite facing odds and pushback”.Naveed Iqbal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, and reports from Jammu and Kashmir. With a career spanning over 15 years in frontline journalism, Naveed provides authoritative reporting on the region’s transition, governance, and the socio-political implications of national policies. Expertise Regional Specialization: Based in the Srinagar and New Delhi bureaus, Naveed has spent over a decade documenting the unique challenges of Jammu and Kashmir. Her reporting is distinguished by deep contextual knowledge of the region's post-Article 370, statehood debates, and local electoral politics. Key Coverage Beats: Her extensive body of work covers: Politics & Governance: Tracking the National Conference (NC), PDP, and BJP dynamics, including in-depth coverage of J&K’s first Assembly sessions and Rajya Sabha polls following the reorganization of the state. Internal Security & Justice: Providing rigorous reporting on counter-insurgency operations, terror module investigations, and judicial developments involving political detainees and constitutional rights. Education & Minority Affairs: Highlighting systemic issues such as quota rows in J&K, public service commission reforms, and the challenges faced by minority communities. ... Read More Tags:Mirwaiz Umar FarooqNarendra Modi